Unravelling the Ann Lovett tragedy… to the present day
APRIL 6, 1968
Ann Rose Lovett is born in Cobh General Hospital, the third youngest of nine children born to Diarmuid and Patricia Lovett.
APRIL 6, 1982
After her 14th birthday, Ann Lovett begins a sexual relationship with boyfriend Ricky McDonnell.
FEBRUARY 24, 1983
Colm O’Reilly is appointed bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise and held that role until he resigned on July 17, 2013. After Ann’s death, Ricky McDonnell said Bishop O’Reilly asked to speak with him and made him swear a vow of silence.
NOVEMBER 25, 1983
Ann attends the local doctor for the second time in a month, at which point she was seven months pregnant.
DECEMBER 26 OR 31, 1983
This was the last time Ann’s boyfriend saw her, after they left the Fountain Blue Nightclub, between Edgeworthstown and Longford. She never confided in him that she was pregnant.
JANUARY 31, 1984
Ann dies aged 15 after giving birth at the grotto in Granard, Co. Longford. She was nine months pregnant. She cut the umbilical cord with the scissors she had brought from home and wrapped her dead baby in her coat. Her baby weighed 6 ½ pounds. She was found at 4pm that afternoon by passing schoolboys.
FEBRUARY 5, 1984
Ann’s death makes the front page of the Sunday Tribune, covered by journalist Emily O’Reilly, and the news of her death convulsed the nation.
FEBRUARY 12, 1984
Canon Francis Guilfoyle addresses the congregation at Sunday Mass, saying: ‘The secret of what happened is with that little girl in the grave. What happened should have been left to the town to deal with in its own way. My firm belief is what happened should not have been covered by RTÉ or the newspapers: it should have been kept parochial, local.’
FEBRUARY 16, 1984
The Midlands Health Board issues a statement about the findings of its report. Chief executive Denis J Doherty said Ann had not accessed any of its services: the public health nurse, social workers or community welfare officers.
FEBRUARY 23, 1984
The inquest into the death of Ann Lovett and her son, who had been baptised Patrick, was held. Her parents said they had no knowledge of her pregnancy. A Garda file is sent to coroner Patrick Mangan.
FEBRUARY 21, 1984
The Gay Byrne Radio Show devotes the entire programme to reading out letters sent in by people who had their own
stories of concealed pregnancies.
APRIL 22, 1984
Less than three months after Ann died, her sister Patricia, aged 14, died by suicide.
MAY 5, 2018
For the first time, Mr McDonnell speaks out about Ann’s death, who knew what and when – and who tried to keep it secret.