Killer Quirke witness is spared jail for causing death of biker dad
Emotional scenes in court as Lowry gets suspended 12-month sentence
A CENTRAL witness in the “Mr Moonlight” murder trial was given a suspended one-year jail sentence after admitting a charge of careless driving causing death.
She was also given a one- year driving ban for the offence which the court heard caused the death of a “master craftsman” carpenter, three years ago.
Mary Lowry, 57, wept at Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court yesterday as Judge Catherine Staines imposed the sentence after having heard emotional testimony from the victim’s family.
Ms Lowry admitted driving her grey Volkswagen Passat without due care or attention thereby causing the death of father-of-five Patrick “Paddy (Flags)” Connolly.
The fatal collision occurred on the N24 Waterford to Limerick road, close to an entrance to Bansha Woods, Spring House, Bansha, Co Tipperary, around 12.45pm, on December 28, 2021. Ms
Lowry’s barrister Padraig de Burca, BL, read on her behalf a letter of apology she had written to the Connolly family in which she apologised “for not paying attention” to her driving on the day.
She wrote: “If I could change it, I would, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me and that (Patrick Connolly) can Rest In Peace.”
COLLIDED
The court heard Ms Lowry, of Green Road, Dundrum, Co Tipperary, collided with a motorcycle being driven by Mr Connolly, who was carrying his son David, 15, as a pillion passenger.
The father and son had been participating in a charity bike event at the time. Mr Connolly died from his injuries in hospital on January 2.
Mr Connolly’s wife Geraldine wept in court describing the impact of her husband’s death and how she was “never concerned” about him travelling on his motorbike “as he was always a careful driver”. She added: “He [Paddy] was the love of my life. The worst thing is the silence, he is no longer breathing beside me at night, we were together for 30 years.”
She said Paddy had been “a master craftsman, carpenter, a great father, provider and husband”.
Mr Connolly’s daughter, Rebecca Connolly, said her father’s unexpected death was “truly world shattering” and her brother David, who was with their father at the time of the collision, suffers from “survivor’s guilt”.
David Connolly told gardai moments before the collision he saw a car drive “into our lane, and I was thrown off the bike..i went over the car and I remember being fairly winded.”
Senior Counsel Colman Cody, for Ms
Lowry said her “fatal and momentary lapse of concentration” had resulted in “dreadful” and “devastating consequences”. He added: “Mary Lowry has to live with these devastating consequences, it is a sentence in itself.”
Judge Staines said she believed Ms Lowry was “truly remorseful”, and told her “you now have to live with the consequences of this truly awful event”.
Ms Lowry had given evidence as an “essential witness” at the murder trial of killer Patrick Quirke.
Her boyfriend Bobby Ryan, a popular DJ known as “Mr Moonlight”, went missing on June 3, 2011. His body was found, on April 30, 2013, in an underground septic tank on Ms Lowry’s farm which was being leased by Quirke.
Paddy was the love of my life. The worst is the silence after 30 years together
GERALDINE CONNOLLY WIFE OF DECEASED IN COURT