Partner of man killed in unprovoked attack is still searching for answers 14 years later
A ONCE devoutly Catholic Dublin grandmother has told how the unexplained murder of her partner led to her abandoning her strong faith.
Painter and decorator Michael Gallagher (60) was killed in a frenzied, but unprovoked, attack in the Tallaght home he shared with his partner Sally Rodgers 14 years ago.
Despite following many lines of inquiry, officers have never made an arrest for the killing of Mr Gallagher, who was attacked at his home in Tymonville Road, Tallaght, shortly after 10pm on January 18, 2007.
Ms Rodgers (65), who is a special needs assistant and grandmother of four, yesterday marked the 14th anniversary of her partner’s murder.
The assault took place after two masked men rushed into their home after Ms Rodgers opened the front door. One of the men had a knife and the other was carrying a hammer.
Mr Gallagher, a father of five from Mohill, Co Leitrim, was assaulted in the couple’s kitchen and stabbed up to 15 times, including a fatal wound to his heart.
Ms Rodgers received several hammer blows to the body during the violent attack.
Speaking ahead of the anniversary, Ms Rodgers said she is still haunted by the memories of watching her partner die in a pool of blood.
She said she lives in constant fear that the men responsible could still be at large and strike again.
The former devout Catholic, who in the past has worked with homicide victims’ group ADVIC, also said that the savagery of the crime and the lack of progress in the murder case prompted her to turn her back on religion for good.
“Up to when Michael was killed I was a strong Catholic and would have prayed a lot and attended Mass regularly, but ever since then I’ve found it hard to believe any more,” she said.
“What happened was so terrible it made me question my religion. So faith no longer plays a part in my life like it used to.”
Ms Rodgers, who received counselling after the tragedy, said she remains convinced that her partner was wrongly targeted by his killers in a case of mistaken identity.
“We still have absolutely no idea why he was attacked and by who, because he was a good man who had never been in any trouble,” she said.
“I’ve tried to get on with my life as best I can ever since, but it’s very difficult. Those horrific memories, of seeing Michael dying in a pool of blood on our kitchen floor, are always there. And if something violent comes on the TV, I have to change the channel because it’s too upsetting.”
In non-Covid times, Ms Rodgers marked the anniversary of her partner’s death by travelling to his hometown of Mohill in Co Leitrim, where he was buried.
However, this year she stayed at home in Dublin which she said made yesterday’s anniversary even more difficult.
“All these years later we are still none the wiser as to who did this, and why. Michael and I were so happy together and had plans to move to Mohill to spend the rest of our days with each other. But those two men took that away in the cruellest possible way,” she said.
“They caused me so much damage and yet, they are probably still out there getting on with their lives. I still can’t come to terms with how anyone could do that to another human being, but I will never give up looking for answers.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Tallaght Garda station on 01-666 6000.