Further Things That Are Wrong (Part 2)

3 bed terraced houses starting at 620grand… fucking hell

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All the wan to ye. At least ye have Thursday nights.

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I have waited long enough for answers and this might be the only way I get some’ – Andrew McGinley on his three children’s deaths

Five years after losing Conor, Darragh and Carla, their father tells how time has stood still for him

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Catherine Fegan

January 25 2025 2:30 AM

Deirdre Morley was sipping on a cup of coffee, chatting away to the person in front of her.

As customers placed their orders, engrossed in their own little worlds, no one in the bustling coffee shop took much notice of the 47-year-old. By all accounts, it seemed as if everyone present was blissfully unaware that they were in the company of a triple child killer.

But two familiar faces from the past, standing in the queue to be served, instantly recognised her.

“I froze on the spot when I saw her,” one of the two women told the Irish Independent.

“I was with a friend and she said, ‘Don’t turn around now but Deirdre Morley is there.’ We both know her and both recognised her so it wasn’t a case of mistaken identity.

“We just stood facing the food and she didn’t see us thankfully. I just wanted to get out of there as soon as I could, because I just didn’t want to come face to face with her at all. It affected me deeply, seeing her there, doing something so normal.”

Five years ago yesterday, the McGinley children – Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3) – were found dead in their family home in Newcastle, Co Dublin, by their father. In May 2021, their mother, Ms Morley, was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity.

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The case counts as one of the most shocking and heartbreaking cases of child killings in recent memory.

After her trial, Ms Morley was committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) and this week it emerged that she has been granted “level three” leave privileges, allowing her unaccompanied day leave.

The incident in the coffee shop, described by the woman who spoke to the Irish Independent, took place in October last year.

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Deirdre Morley

It is also understood that Ms Morley has visited her children’s graves during one of her outings.

“Seeing her just brought everything back up,” said the woman who recognised Ms Morley in October. “As a mum who knew Conor Darragh and Carla, the emotions just stirred right back up. I don’t know how the legal system operates but I was greatly affected, my friend was greatly affected. Afterwards I thought, Carla was too little, but Conor and Darragh’s friends would recognise her. What would happen if they were to run into her? It just beggars belief.”

Mr McGinley is in a new relationship and seeking a divorce from Ms Morley. He politely declined to be drawn on his estranged wife’s activities outside the confines of the CMH, other than to confirm he had been informed by email that she had been granted level three leave.

“If that is the decision of her clinicians,” he said.

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“I understand that her clinicians have a duty towards her. Her care and her treatment now is up to them.”

However, Mr McGinley said he has “major issues” with the victim liaison service at CMH and has raised these with the Department of Justice, based on the familicide report.

“There’s a big piece in the report about the fact that they avoid big days like anniversaries and birthdays when advising victims about leave,” he said. “Yet two days before Father’s Day, one of the hardest days of the year for me, was when they told me about level three leave and the possibility of me being out and about and bumping into Deirdre.”

Against the backdrop of his soon to be ex-wife’s rehabilitation into society, Mr McGinley continues to navigate his own grief.

Since the horrific deaths of his three beautiful children, he has become widely known publicly for his efforts to make sure they are never forgotten.

This week, five years on from their loss, he continued on that journey. The anniversary is a tough day, but so is every other day.

“I try not to plan too much because you honestly don’t know how you feel,” he said.

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“It’s a bit like Father’s Day, another day that is a difficult one. You just want to get through it. I often go to Slievethoul for a walk and anyone who follows Conor’s Clips on social media will know that nine times out of 10 when I spot deer up there, there are three together.

I want people to know that they were three magnificent kids who were great craic, great fun and had a great life

“Do I believe in signs? No, but I can’t ignore that. I will do that, then I will meet my sister for a bite to eat. It’s a hard day, but I don’t live in misery. I celebrate their lives. I want people to know that they were three magnificent kids who were great craic, great fun and had a great life.”

Had they lived, Conor would turn 15 in May, Darragh would be 13 in the same month and Carla, their little sister, would have been turning nine in December.

For their father, in the five years since their deaths, time has stood still.

“I don’t even do the calculations,” he said.

“They will always be nine, seven and three. You carry around the grief like a rucksack and there are days when I go into dark hole but I want to live positively.

“I’m not a miserable person, I’m a very positive person. I like to think that I still have a good sense of humour. I still enjoy holidays. I still enjoy going up to Donegal. I still enjoy playing football. I still enjoy being with my friends. I still enjoy going to the theatre and gigs and comedy gigs, do all of those things but the loss is always there.”

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As it stands, I believe there’s still a risk to children

Meanwhile, the father of three continues to campaign for mental health law reforms that would allow immediate family members to be kept informed of their loved ones’ treatment when it could affect others.

Mr McGinley feels a HSE review into Ms Morley’s psychiatric treatment in the lead-up to the killings was not sufficient – and says policies he believes put his children in danger will only lead to other tragedies.

“As it stands, I believe there’s still a risk to children,” he said.

“You can see that in the cases that have happened since the deaths of Conor, Darragh and Carla. I’m angry that nothing has changed and that other children have died since. The politicians don’t seem to want to know.”

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Andrew McGinley with his children Conor, Darragh and Carla

It is not known when the inquest into the deaths of Conor, Darragh and Carla, which was previously adjourned, is expected to resume. Mr McGinley has written to the coroner directly to determine the reason for the continued delay.

He hopes it will bring answers to some of the questions that still remain.

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This tramp murdered her children
Supposedly whilst mad
But all of a sudden the mental illness has disappeared and shes OTW to freedom :see_no_evil:

Should never see the light of day again!

He’s a better man than me.

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He is but then what’s the alternative. An unimaginable situation.

Not sure calling her a tramp helps either. I wouldn’t be her for any money

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And me boy
Muchhhhhh better
I’d be serving life and be bloody happy about it

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SSE Airtricity running an advert about how we’ve harnessed the power of the wind to work for us, while a quarter of the country is without power due to a wind storm

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:clap::clap::clap:vg

Great guy, patently an amazing guy. Someone has said on here about a bad 15 minutes, she was probably a great girl too at most points in her life. Lot of love for him; gorgeous, story book kids, it is fucking mental.

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As it stands it doesn’t

You’d want to be some mug to be relying on electricity for your heat in Ireland

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Imagine you listened to Eamon Ryan and lying Rodders and you installed electric heating and bought an electric car? 350,000 people still without power. You’d be freezing to death in your home unable to go anywhere.

The greens have absolutely destroyed the country

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Eamon Ryan is a lovely fella though and that’s all that matters, well to gullible Dubs anyway.

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I live in a house with an island in the countryside and have had a heat pump with geothermal heating for 16 years.

Overall a huge success. The house is well insulated so if the electricity goes off it stays warm and the stove is a grand back up.

It’s also been very economical to run with no concerns about running out of oil or a lack of hot water.

So I’d say you’re wrong.

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Jesus mate, ease off on the melodrama.

99% of these homes with electric heating are so well insulated that you’d hardly notice a loss of heat

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Climate change denier angry what climate change does

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We need to “drill baby drill”

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tHE gREen PArTy toOk My FREEDOM

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Surely I’m reinforcing it? Storms are going to become more common. Relying on electricity for your heating and personal transport could leave you very vulnerable and isolated