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Irish Daily Mirror

From racy 'fan mail' to band practice - how Graham Dwyer passes time behind bars

Graham Dwyer has been clinging on to hopes of freedom ever since he was first locked up. Dwyer, formerly an architect from Foxrock in Dublin, was found guilty of murdering Elaine O'Hara in 2015. Ms O'Hara, who was a 36-year-old childcare worker, disappeared in August 2012. Her skeletal remains were found in the Dublin mountains just over a year later. But the sadomasochistic killer who stabbed a vulnerable woman to death has failed to get his murder conviction overturned by Ireland's highest court. Having failed in his latest appeal at the Supreme Court, it is expected that Dwyer will now have to serve the remainder of his life sentence. Details of his life behind bars have emerged over the years. In 2017 it emerged that he had been branded a 'Casanova' after he started writing love songs in jail. The killer had been penning ballads on his bass guitar at the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise. A source told the Irish Mirror how Dwyer, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of childminder Elaine O'Hara, likes to think of himself as a ladies man. The source said: 'Dwyer loves himself. He is very into his appearance and likes to take pride in what way his hair is. 'He plays the bass guitar for a few hours a day and has recently started writing his own songs. It's not known who he's writing the songs for, if anyone. 'Women do write to him and I think that only adds fuel to the fire. He tells inmates the papers love him and when he is on the front page they sell more. He thinks he's a bit of a celebrity.' In 2021, it emerged that Dwyer formed a rock band with infamous Cratloe rapist Stephen Barry in prison. Evil rapist Barry, who was released from prison in 2019, was the lead singer in Dwyer's group, which formed in a music class held in the Midlands Prison. A man who was in a band with Dwyer in the 1990s previously told how he couldn't believe Dwyer had 'turned into a monster'. Steve Hadley — part of the band called The Swing in 1992 — told how he met Dwyer after putting an ad in a music shop looking for a bass player. Speaking in 2015, he said: 'I've been in shock from day one when I heard about his arrest and it will take a while to sink in that he's been jailed for such a brutal and barbaric crime. 'He never discussed any bizarre fantasies.' In 2022 it emerged that Dwyer has been bombarded with racy pictures in the post. He was inundated with letters of support in recent weeks as well as explicit images which were confiscated by officers. A source revealed there has been a huge increase in 'fan letters' for the depraved murderer, including some x-rated images of women. The source said: 'Dwyer has always been an inmate who gets a lot of post. Over the years, since being locked-up, he has had a steady flow of fan letters from women across the world. They range from those who fancy Dwyer as well as supporters who believe he is innocent. 'Staff go through and censor all of the post which has been sent into the jail for inmates. 'Letters are checked for contraband as well as raunchy material which is deemed inappropriate. 'All explicit material was confiscated. Dwyer, like other prisoners, is only given post which doesn't break any of the jail rules.' During Dwyer's long legal battle for freedom, sources said his mood changed. According to a source, Dwyer changed his ways in recent weeks as the outcome of his legal fight against the State and the Garda Commissioner into Ireland's data retention laws loomed. The source said: 'Dwyer used to be one of the cockiest inmates you could ever meet. He was over confident to the point of annoying the other inmates. He used to walk around acting like he owned the place. 'He has done a complete turn around recently though and has become Mr Nice. He's become very charming, friendly and overall nice to everyone. His sudden change in behaviour has left many scratching their heads as to what he's up to. 'He has been going to school, working out in the gym and walking around the yard on his own after dinner.' It's a far cry from the life Dwyer enjoyed as an architect who even appeared on the Late Late Show. In 2023, his 51st birthday was a lonely one. Sources say Dwyer, who turned 51, got 'no special treatment' as he marked the occasion from his cell in the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise. Visitors are not allowed into the Midlands on Wednesdays, meaning Dwyer had to spend the occasion alone. The depraved killer's birthday will forever tie him to the callous killing of Elaine O' Hara as he infamously celebrated the occasion on the same day the body was discovered. Ms O'Hara's skeletal remains were discovered at Kilakee on September 13, 2013, as sicko Dwyer celebrated his joint 41st birthday with his wife Gemma at a Mexican restaurant on South Great George's Street. There'll be many more lonely birthdays to come.