GARDAI PROBE BALLYDUFF KILLING
Neighbours stunned by death of quiet farmer
GARDAÍ believe Ballyduff farmer Anthony O’Mahony was murdered in the gruesome culmination of a long-running dispute over land. Meanwhile, locals say the dispute may have been complicated by his use of crow-bangers to protect crops.
Mr O’Mahony was pronounced dead at the scene of what gardaí initially had treated as an accident, on the roadway by his farm in Rattoo outside Ballyduff village shortly after 8.45am on Tuesday. He died when a ‘ teleporter’ collided with the car he was driving, its prongs penetrating the car and leading to his fatal injuries.
Garda suspicions were aroused shortly after arriving on scene, prompting them to launch a murder investigation. A man in his 60s was later arrested and detained under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act at Listowel Garda Station where he was still being questioned at the time of going to press.
Gardaí believe the teleporter may have been-driven deliberately at Mr O’Mahony’s car amid a long-running dispute over land. Locals said the dispute was exacerbated by Mr O’Mahony’s use of loud crow bangers to keep birds off his crops.
GARDAÍ have launched a murder investigation after a 74-year-old man was killed in a collision on a back road near Ballyduff village early on Tuesday.
Single farmer Anthony O’Mahony died when a vehicle described by gardaí as a ‘ teleporter’ collided with the car he was driving on a local road by the farm he owned in Rattoo, Ballyduff, shortly before 8.45am on Tuesday.
Mr O’Mahony was pronounced dead at the scene, with gardaí launching a murder investigation following preliminary examinations of his remains and of the immediate area.
Gardaí now suspect the vehicle may have been driven deliberately at Mr O’Mahony’s car in the fatal culmination of a long-running dispute over land.
A man in his 60s was arrested by gardaí as part of the investigation and detained under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act which allows for up to 24 hours’ detention.
There were no charges brought in the case by the time of going to press, but gardaí told The Kerryman the murder probe was focusing on a long-running history of disputed land between the victim and another person.
Locals also suggested that a ‘crow-banger’ Mr O’Mahony had deployed to frighten birds away from a wheat crop on his land in Rattoo may have played a part in the escalation of a dispute.
Gardaí were called to the scene of what was initially treated as a road traffic accident at 8.45am on Tuesday. Their suspicion that something more sinister was at play was aroused with a murder investigation was launched shortly thereafter.
The incident occurred on a narrow boithrín that leads to the iconic Rattoo round tower from the main Ballyduff to Tralee road. The road, which runs adjacent to lands farmed by Mr O’Mahony, was immediately sealed off by gardaí, with members of the technical bureau from garda headquarters subsequently beginning a forensic examination of the scene.
Assistant State Pathologist Margaret Bolster arrived there at 6pm, examining the remains of Mr O’Mahony in situ, prior to a full post-mortem examination she was to conduct at Kerry General Hospital. The post mortem was not expected to get underway for a number of hours from the time of her arrival.
Mr O’Mahony, a native of Ardoughter in Ballyduff, was described as a gentle person who was utterly dedicated to the tillage operation he ran extremely successfully. Anyone with information is asked to contact Listowel Garda Station (068)50820,