Lines of Enquiry

In June 1981, Nora Sheehan left the South Infirmary Hospital in Cork and disappeared into the night. In the hours that followed, she was seen by witnesses walking alone after midnight, a familiar figure on dark roads and quiet streets.Days later, her battered body was discovered dumped in woodland far from the city. Her murder shocked Cork and marked the beginning of a case that would stretch across generations.In this opening chapter of a two-part investigation, John Sweetman reconstructs Nora’s final movements, the witness sightings after midnight, and the immediate aftermath of her disappearance. What emerges is the story of a vulnerable woman who vanished in plain sight and a killing that would become one of Ireland’s longest-running cold cases.Presented by John SweetmanCreated by Darren ClearyEpisode Written by Darren ClearyScript Edited by Eoin BrennanExecutive Produced by Eoin BrennanExecutive Produced by Ruth FitzsimonsProduced by Siobhan WalshProduced by Siobhan MaguireSound Design and Editing by Neil KavanaghAudio Editing Support by Ed SmithMarketing Support by Bríd Walsh and Róisín ReillySocial Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn ReeArtwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree

The Walsh house in rural Connemara is quiet by 4am on the 22nd of June 1985. Earlier in the night it was full of people celebrating the brief return of two family members who had emigrated. But now the friends, neighbours and even the local Gardaí who had attended the party have all dispersed. So, when 14 year old Jacquie Walsh wakes up in the middle of the night the only person she sees is her mother, 33 year old Barbara asleep on the couch. Jacquie tries to wake her but when she does not stir, Jacquie places a pillow beneath her head and drapes a blanket around her before heading to bed. Barbara Walsh was never seen again.For years, her family were told that the young mother of 7 must have wandered off – Despite not having a car and living over 50 miles away from Galway city.In this episode, former Garda forensic detective John Sweetman goes back to 1985 and examines the original investigation, the new leads for the cold case team and asks where is Barbara Walsh? Presented by John SweetmanCreated by Darren ClearyEpisode Written by Siobhan WalshScript Edited by Eoin BrennanExecutive Produced by Eoin BrennanExecutive Produced by Ruth FitzsimonsProduced by Siobhan WalshAssistant Produced by Siobhan MaguireSound Design and Editing by Neil KavanaghAudio Editing support by Ed SmithMarketing support by Bríd Walsh and Roisin ReillySocial support by Mark Hayes and Robyn ReeArtwork and graphics by Eric Rowntree

Gardaí are called to a house in north Dublin, where they make a grim discovery. 72-year-old Marie Dillon has been found murdered in a violent attack inside her home.As investigations begin, it becomes clear there are no suspects and no obvious clues. In this episode of Lines of Enquiry, John Sweetman revisits the case that brought him face to face with his first murder scene at just 26 years of age, in his early days training to become a forensic fingerprint expert. Presented by John Sweetman Created by Darren Cleary Episode Written by John SweetmanScript Edited by Eoin Brennan Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons Produced by Siobhan Walsh and Siobhan Maguire Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh Audio Editing support by Ed Smith Marketing support by Bríd Walsh and Roisin Reilly Social support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree Artwork and graphics by Eric RowntreeVideo by Ger Walsh

On 4 January 2005, 11-year-old Robert Holohan left his home to play on his bike in Midleton, Co Cork and never returned. What began as a desperate search for a missing boy quickly became one of the most emotionally charged murder investigations Ireland had ever witnessed. Thousands turned out to look for him. Gardaí deployed every resource available. For a week, the country hoped against hope. Then came the devastating discovery: Robert had been killed. The search for the young boy soon became a hunt for a killer. The eventual truth would prove to be more devastating than anyone had imagined.Presented by John SweetmanCreated by Darren ClearyEpisode Written by Darren Cleary and John SweetmanScript Edited by Eoin BrennanExecutive Produced by Eoin BrennanExecutive Produced by Ruth FitzsimonsProduced by Siobhan WalshAssistant Produced by Siobhan MaguireSound Design and Editing by Neil KavanaghAudio Editing support by Ed SmithMarketing support by Bríd Walsh and Roisin ReillySocial support by Mark Hayes and Robyn ReeArtwork and graphics by Eric Rowntree

A sinister, disturbing handwritten letter arrives into Garda HQ. It has been sent anonymously to a school in the midlands. There are 23 pages, promising terrible crimes to come, and detailing the writer’s twisted plans to abduct and kill teenage girls. Soon after, two more arrive – again sent to schools across the Irish midlands. Gardai then realise this is not their first encounter with the anonymous writer, as they discover records of a strange hideout found in the woods in Offaly many years ago. More letters arrive, sent to Garda stations and found by members of the public.Fear spreads as the writer goes further and begins naming potential targets, all teenage girls at a local Offaly school. Gardai now face a race against time to find him, before he can put his evil plans into action.As part of our launch week of Lines of Enquiry we are releasing two episodes this week, including this one. From next week we will release weekly, every Tuesday morning.Presented by John SweetmanCreated by Darren ClearyEpisode Written by Eoin Brennan, Siobhan Maguire and John SweetmanExecutive Produced by Eoin BrennanExecutive Produced by Ruth FitzsimonsProduced by Siobhan WalshAssistant Produced by Siobhan MaguireSound Design and Editing by Neil KavanaghEpisode Edited by Eoin BrennanEditing support by Ed SmithMarketing support by Bríd Walsh and Roisin ReillySocial support by Mark Hayes and Robyn ReeArtwork and graphics by Eric Rowntree

When 27-year-old Mary Gough was found dead in her home in Balbriggan in 2001, it looked like a tragic accident. Gardaí were called to what appeared to be a fall down the stairs. But as investigators examined the scene, small details began to raise doubts, marks that didn’t fit, timelines that didn’t match, and a story that started to change. In this episode, former Garda forensic detective John Sweetman revisits the case, piece by piece, to uncover how investigators learned that what looked like a household accident was, in fact, something far more sinister. Presented by John Sweetman Created by Darren Cleary Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons Produced by Siobhan Walsh Assistant Produced by Siobhan Maguire Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh Editing support by Ed Smith Marketing support by Bríd Walsh and Roisin Reilly Social support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree Episode Written by Darren Cleary Episode Edited by Eoin Brennan Artwork and graphics by Eric Rowntree

Former Garda detective and expert crime scene investigator, John Sweetman presents Lines of Enquiry, a GoLoud Original true-crime podcast examining some of Ireland’s most compelling crimes, uncovering how evidence, chance, and persistence can bring answers, and sometimes only more questions.