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 Sweetman

Created by Darren Cleary

Episode Written by Darren Cleary

Script Edited by Eoin Brennan

Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan

Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons

Produced by Siobhan Walsh

Produced by Siobhan Maguire

Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh

Audio Editing Support by Ed Smith

Marketing Support by Bríd Walsh and Róisín Reilly

Social Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree

Artwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree