Lines of Enquiry

Siobhan McLaughlin: A Savage End

Brian Kearney arrived to work shortly before 8am on his 49th birthday – February 28th, 2006. Before he left home that morning he poured his 3 year old son Dan a bowl of Coco Pops. Later that morning, Dan’s aunt Niamh arrived at the home. She found the young child alone, crying. His mammy, Siobhan McLaughlin, had never come downstairs that morning.After an early suspicion of suicide, one piece of evidence was essential in upgrading the case to a murder investigation - A purple vacuum flex found at the scene. In this episode of Lines of Enquiry, John Sweetman revisits the tragic death of 38-year-old Siobhan McLaughlin in Goatstown, South Dublin and the search for her killer. Presented by John SweetmanCreated by Darren ClearyEpisode Written by John SweetmanScript Edited by Eoin BrennanProduced by Siobhan Walsh & Aoife PlunkettExecutive Produced by Eoin BrennanExecutive Produced by Ruth FitzsimonsSound Design and Editing by Neil KavanaghAudio Editing Support by Ed SmithMarketing Support by Laura Bracken and Róisín ReillySocial Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn ReeArtwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree

Lying Eyes: The Hitman Plot

When Gardaí are called out following a burglary at the offices of a family run business in Ennis, Co. Clare, they aren't overly concerned. Two computers and some small items have been stolen. But when a hitman shows up at the home of the two young brothers who run the business gardaí realise there is much more to the case.In this episode of Lines of Enquiry, John Sweetman, brings us a case so strange that, at first, even gardaí couldn’t believe it was real.We bring you through the web of online connections that led a hitman from the United States to County Clare, to sting operation to try to catch the assassin, the involvement of the FBI, and the trail of emails that revealed the full and incredible story.Presented by John SweetmanCreated by Darren ClearyEpisode Written by Anna PriestlandProduced by Siobhan WalshExecutive Produced by Eoin BrennanSound Design and Editing by Neil KavanaghAudio Editing Support by Ed SmithMarketing Support by Laura Bracken and Róisín ReillySocial Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn ReeArtwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree

Karen Buckley: A Fateful Encounter

In April 2015, 24-year-old Cork woman Karen Buckley went for a night out with friends in Glasgow, where she was studying to become a nurse.When Karen did not return home or answer her friends’ calls, police began searching for her. Their investigation soon focussed on a man seen speaking with Karen outside a nightclub, moments after she was last seen by her friends.Over the next few days detectives would conduct an intense, detailed investigation to trace Karen’s movements and identify the man she spoke with. Through the analysis of hundreds of hours of CCTV footage, public appeals, forensics and police interviews, a picture would soon begin to emerge. It would become a case that deeply affected people in both Ireland and Scotland, as the shocking, heart-breaking truth emerged.In this episode of Lines of Enquiry, John Sweetman recounts that investigation in detail, and the impact of a crime that caused deep pain across two countries.Presented by John SweetmanCreated by Darren ClearyEpisode Written by Anna PriestlandScript Edited by Eoin Brennan & Siobhan WalshProduced by Siobhan WalshExecutive Produced by Eoin BrennanExecutive Produced by Ruth FitzsimonsSound Design and Editing by Neil KavanaghAudio Editing Support by Ed SmithMarketing Support by Laura Bracken and Róisín ReillySocial Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn ReeArtwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree

Case Notes #013: What Comes Next

In this episode of Lines of Enquiry: Case Notes, John is joined by Darren Cleary, creator of Lines of Enquiry and Head of Digital Audio at Bauer Media Audio Ireland.Together, they look back on the previous season, reflecting on cases including Elaine O’Hara, Patricia O’Connor, Barbara Walsh, Ciara Breen and Philip Cairns. They also discuss the importance of revisiting unresolved cases, and the work that goes into making the podcast.John and Darren also look ahead to the next season, including revealing the first episode of season 3, along with announcing a new longer-form documentary series focusing on a Dublin murder case from the 1970s.

Case Notes #012: Kelly Lynch Peer Review

In this episode of Lines of Enquiry: Case Notes, John is joined by Darren Cleary, creator of Lines of Enquiry and Head of Digital Audio at Bauer Media Audio Ireland.Darren gives an update on the case of Kelly Lynch following the completion of a Garda peer review into the original investigation. He discusses what Kelly’s family say they were told, the recommendations now being worked through and the file being prepared for the coroner.John and Darren also discuss the differing medical opinions around Kelly’s death, before moving into a wider conversation about what happens at a crime scene and why scene preservation, evidence gathering and chain of custody matter.