Shock as Wexford woman charged with murder of boyfriend in Sydney
TWO Wexford towns were yesterday in shock after a “lovely, lovely girl” was charged with the murder of her ‘Good Samaritan’ boyfriend in Australia.
Tina Cahill (25) from New Ross was due to appear in court early today in Sydney charged with the murder of Daithi Walsh (29) last Friday.
Ms Cahill’s family are well known and respected in New Ross where she grew up above the family-owned shop near the Three Bullets Gate in the old town. She was described by neighbours yesterday as “a lovely, lovely girl”.
The neighbour added: “The Cahills are the finest people you could meet. No one can understand one bit of this. Tina was a good student at school and, I understand, very successful at whatever she worked at. There’s total shock here.”
Mr Walsh (29) was known for carrying out building work for free for needy people in Enniscorthy, local Independent Councillor John O’Rourke, a friend of the Walsh family said yesterday.
Mr Walsh moved to Australia following the break-up of his marriage last year, it is understood.
He met Ms Cahill and they became engaged at New Year and they have been living together in the Padstow area of the city.
Sydney police yesterday charged Ms Cahill with murder and were still questioning another man, a 35-year-old local, over what was described as a fracas at the couple’s home on Watson Road, Padstow.
Local sources were quoted in the Australian media as saying Mr Walsh was at home when his fiancee, two other women and a local man arrived at the house. A row ensued during which Mr Walsh was stabbed in the neck. It was unclear if a broken glass or knife was involved. Locals said those involved appeared to be drunk.
It is understood the two women also live at the house and the Australian man, who was still in police custody yesterday, was invited back after the women had been out socialising. Local people reported ‘screaming and wailing’ around midnight before police and ambulance crews arrived.
Detective Inspector Glen Fitzgerald said the victim had been in the house, possibly asleep, when the three women and man arrived and a fight broke out.
“Four of them seem to live at this address. One of the males was at an establishment with them earlier in the day,” he said.
Ms Cahill was being held in police custody prior to her appearance before Parramatta Local Court in Sydney.
Friends and relatives were gathering around the Walsh family home in Moran Park in Enniscorthy as arrangements began for the return of Mr Walsh’s body. The family are well known in the building trade, Councillor O’Rourke said.
“David really was a gentleman like his father, always ready to give a hand and he often did work for people who were in need. I asked him a couple of times if he could do a bit of plastering for people who were living in poor conditions and he was only too happy to volunteer. He really was one of those great decent guys who are important in a community. His loss will be felt greatly here.”
‘He was a gentleman and always ready to give a hand for people in need’