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Daily Record
19-05-2025
- Daily Record
Murder suspect 'knew missing farmer' who was 'dumped in slurry tank'
Police continue to quiz a suspect over the murder of 56-year-old Michael Gaine. Police are set to continue their interrogation of a suspect this morning in connection with the murder of a farmer. Following the dramatic arrest, it has emerged that the suspect knew missing 56-year-old Michael Gaine. "There was a connection between the two men. This was not a stranger murder," an insider disclosed. The Irish Mirror has also learned that the man, in his 50s, had been on the radar in the investigation for several weeks but became a prime suspect after what are believed to be Mr Gaine's remains were found on his farm in Co. Kerry late on Friday afternoon. The decision to arrest the man was prompted by the grim discovery, reports Cork Beo. The suspect, who had moved away from the Kenmare area within the last two weeks and was living elsewhere in Kerry, was taken into custody on Sunday afternoon by Gardai investigating the disappearance and murder of Mr Gaine. Mr Gaine was last spotted at a Centra shop in central Kenmare on March 20, and his wife Janice reported him missing the following day. After extensive searches and coming to the conclusion at the end of last month that there was no chance he was still alive, Gardai formally upgraded the case from a missing person to a homicide investigation on April 29. This meant that officers believed he had either been murdered or died accidentally during an altercation. However, the suspect apprehended yesterday is being detained on suspicion of murder. Officers have a 24-hour window to interrogate the man in connection with the murder case, with the Director of Public Prosecutions expected to make a decision on charges this afternoon. The arrest was confirmed by Gardai in a statement released last night. In their statement, officers said: "Gardaí at Killarney Garda Station continue to investigate the disappearance and homicide of Michael Gaine (56), who was reported missing from his home near Kenmare, Co. Kerry, on Friday, March 21, 2025. "The homicide investigation, led by a Senior Investigating Officer and the Serious Crime Unit Kerry Garda Division is ongoing, supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI). "This afternoon, Sunday, May 18, a male (aged in his 50s) has been arrested on suspicion of murder. "The male is being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in Kerry Division. "An Garda Síochána continue to carry out searches and technical examinations at lands at Carrig East, Kenmare, Co. Kerry." The force informed that Mr Gaine's family had been made aware of the development. It said: "The family of Michael Gaine have been informed of this arrest and An Garda Síochána continue to support Michaels family through a Family Liaison Officer. The family have requested privacy at this time. "Gardaí continue to appeal to the public's assistance in this investigation. The Garda investigation team can be contacted at Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or speak with any member of An Garda Síochána. "Updates will be provided as appropriate." A breakthrough in the case came just 36 hours after partial remains, believed to be those of the Mr Gaine's, were discovered on his property outside Kenmare. Following weeks of searching for Mr Gaine without success, officers concluded last month that he was deceased and upgraded his missing person case to a homicide investigation on April 29. The investigation was ongoing when the dramatic events of Friday unfolded. Neighbours of Mr Gaine were spraying slurry from a tank on his farm onto his land when they stumbled upon suspected human remains and alerted the Gardai. A search was conducted on Saturday, resulting in the recovery of additional remains that were later confirmed to be human. Further searches took place yesterday, with a hearse spotted at the family farm at one point. On Saturday, State Pathologist, Dr Sally Anne Collis and Forensic Anthropologist Laureen Buckley assisted by the Garda Technical Bureau carried out preliminary examinations at the scene. They established that the remains were human. The remains are currently undergoing DNA testing, with sources indicating that Gardai expect confirmation as early as today that they belong to Mr Gaine. Gardai suspect that Mr Gaine's remains were dismembered before being discarded in a slurry pit, which had previously been searched by officers. The farm and surrounding land were still under investigation when the shocking news of the suspect's arrest broke on Sunday evening. On Sunday, Michael Healy-Rae, Independent TD for Kerry, expressed the local community in Kenmare's desire for answers. "All we want is answers," he stated on RTE's This Week programme. "We want to know, and the family want to know. Mike was a very respectable, hardworking, genuine man, a great community person and a person that everybody liked. "To think that somebody would have this type of event happen to them ... we're all horrified. We're upset. It is not something that we're used to in any part of Ireland. But in this locality, we never had a situation like this before." He added: "This is a horrific time for the family, for the whole community, the extended friends, relatives and relations. But at the end of the day, at least now the team can work on the evidence that they have found. "And we hope and earnestly pray that more answers can be found to all questions that the family and all of us have."
Dublin Live
13-05-2025
- Dublin Live
GAA club leads tributes to Garda Kevin Flatley following tragic death
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A GAA club has paid a heartwarming tribute to the Garda who was struck and killed by a motorcycle over the weekend. Father of two Garda Kevin Flatley, 49, died when a motorcyclist drove into him at the old Swords to Balbriggan Road, in the Lanestown area of Lusk, at around 12.50pm on Sunday afternoon. Garda Flatley, who was a roads policing officer based out of Dublin Castle and had served 26 years on the force, was operating a speed checkpoint on the road and had attempted to flag down the bike when the incident occurred. Gardaí and emergency services rushed to the scene of the incident, but despite their best efforts, Garda Flatley was sadly pronounced dead on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, the motorcyclist, who is in his 30s, came off the bike and was critically injured in the incident. He is currently fighting for his life in Dublin's Beaumont Hospital. Following Garda Flatley's tragic passing, O'Dwyers GAA in Balbriggan, Dublin paid him a heartwarming tribute. Aidan Smith, the Public Relations Officer for O'Dwyers, praised Kevin as a dedicated member of the club, sharing that he would be "sadly missed". He said in a video: "On behalf of the club and my own personal behalf, I wish to extend the condolences to Kevin's wife Una, his two daughters Erin and Aoife on his sudden and tragic passing. Kevin was a dedicated member of the club, and will be sadly missed. I wish to also extend our condolences to the Garda family, particularly the Garda Traffic Unit, and the local community. May Kevin rest in peace." Taoiseach Micheál Martin also said that the public should be "very, very conscious of the sacrifice, the risks that are taken every day by members of An Garda Síochána". Speaking to Newstalk, Mr Martin said that people had been "numbed and shocked" by Garda Kevin Flatley's death as he sympathised with his wife Una and his daughters Aoife and Erin. He accepted that both road safety and the safety of Gardaí while working will need to be assessed. The Taoiseach said: "It reminds us that An Garda Síochána are always in danger, that the very nature of their work is such that it puts them in harm's way when one, perhaps, least expects it. "I think we should always be very, very conscious of that, of the sacrifices [and] the risks that are taken every day by members of An Garda Síochána. The [Garda] Commissioner is correct in saying that there will have to be a reset or a complete relook at this. "We have an obligation to protect members of An Garda Síochána as they carry out their duties, to do everything we possibly can to ensure a safe environment. Technology will become more and more relevant here and its application is increasing all of the time. "No doubt, the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, and the Garda Commissioner and members of the force will examine and evaluate all of that. But, of course, we have to remember that that is of little consolation right now to the family of Kevin Flatley. "I think society as a whole do have to look at road safety and, more generally, reflect on what has happened. Two very serious incidents this week, another last week. A Garda was injured by a car. "Generally in terms of road safety, all of us as a society need to reflect on the fundamentals in terms of keeping people safe on the roads, in terms of speed, in terms of drink driving, in terms of wearing of safety belts, reducing speed limits. "Very often, there could be opposition to that and so on. But I think it's desperately upsetting and sad for everybody that Kevin Flatley has lost his life in this way. "We simply have to, in the fullness of time, reflect on that and make sure that we can create as safe an environment as we possibly can for members of An Garda Síochána as they endeavour to keep us safe." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Dublin Live
05-05-2025
- Health
- Dublin Live
Ireland drink drive calculator: How long to wait if you've had beer, gin or wine over bank holiday
Ireland's May bank holiday is in full swing, with loads of people taking advantage of the extra day off. But amidst all the fun, there's a serious message for drivers - beware of driving the morning after a night of drinking. Morning time can be risky for those who've had a few drinks the night before, and An Garda Síochána's increase in early-morning checkpoints across the country reflects this danger. The guards are making their presence known this bank holiday, cracking down hard on the big four "lifesaver offences" - being under the influence at the wheel, speeding, not wearing seatbelts, and using mobile phones while driving. Drinkaware - Ireland's leading charity tackling alcohol misuse - warns that only time will sober you up, reports the Irish Mirror. No amount of food, coffee or sleep will speed up the process of alcohol leaving your body. The charity's CEO, Dearbhla O'Brien, notes that boozing at home, which has spiked because it's cheaper given the cost-of-living crisis, could make it tougher to judge how much you're necking. She explains: "As the cost of living rises, consumer habits are changing and more of us are drinking at home than in pubs and restaurants, and this comes with additional challenges in moderating our drinking. When drinking at home, it becomes easier to over-pour and lose track of how much we're drinking. At home, there's less restraint, and people may not be as aware of the quantity of alcohol they're consuming, leading to overconsumption." Drinkaware is issuing a call to action for increased awareness around the dangers of drink-driving. Dearbhla emphasised: "Just because you've stayed in doesn't mean you're safe to drive the next morning. Alcohol can stay in your system longer than you might think. Drinkaware's online drink-driving calculator can help you assess when it's safe to drive after drinking." Based on Drinkaware data, processing one standard drink takes no less than an hour. A half pint of beer, a 100ml glass of wine, or a standard shot of spirits are each considered one standard drink. Notably, a typical pint of beer counts as two standard drinks, meaning the body requires approximately two hours to metabolise a single pint. The calculation begins the moment you have your last drink. So, should someone down three pints of beer by midnight – that's six standard drinks – they must wait six hours from that point before sobering up sufficiently to drive, making 6am the earliest advisable time to hop into the driver's seat. If you're concerned about potentially being over the limit post-May bank holiday, look no further because Drinkaware offers an alcohol calculator designed to estimate the necessary duration for your body to clear the drinks you've had. 6 pints of lager/stout If you end up having 6 pints of Guinness, Heineken, Carlsberg or some other lager or stout in and around 4.5%, according to Drinkaware you can't drive for 12 hours after you finish your last drink. So if you head to bed at midnight, you can't drive until noon the following day. 1 bottle of wine If you polish off one bottle of red or white wine you will have to stay off the road for eight hours after you finish, according to Drinkaware. 8 gin and tonics Drinking eight gin and tonics would mean no driving for 8 hours after your final drink. 5 pints and 5 vodkas with mixers Some people going for a proper wild night could be drinking pints in the house for the day before going to the pub and switching to vodka. This one could have you feeling particularly bad the next day and that is reflected in how long you have to stay off the road. According to Drinkaware, you will have to avoid driving for 15 hours after your last drink. Calculate your own Some of the examples above involve very harmful levels of drinking. These figures above are estimates. The only way to remove alcohol from your system is time, no amount of food or water will speed up the process, say Drinkaware. If you want to calculate your own, head over to this page. Binge drinking is defined as consuming 60 grams of pure alcohol - six or more standard drinks - in one sitting. This is the equivalent of three pints of cider (568ml), six bottles of lager (330ml) or four glasses of prosecco (150ml). You can find further information, advice and useful resources on Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .
