Murder most foul

Ireland over recent decades has become a place where crime is the discussion topic of the day, only punctuated now and again to talk about recession or bad weather. It is not that Ireland has any more crime than any other country in Europe. It is perhaps the availability of media that now runs through our society that make us more aware. On a daily basis we are bombarded with news of what is going on in the inner city ghettos and the dark recesses of peoples private homes.

At this time there are a number of topical crime related issues that are filling the media here in Ireland. I have covered the story of political sex and scandal in Belfast in an earlier posting. Today in Ireland the media is fully focused on the trial of a man who is accused of murdering his wife. This is not unusual in Ireland, many men and women have killed their spouses. What makes this latest case news worthy is the fact that the lady, Celine Cawley, who was murdered, was a very successful actress. She had stared in a James Bond Movie and was known to millions. Her husband, Eamon Lillis, is also a wealthy man who made his money from various business interests.

Eamon Lillis and his wife Celine did not live in the over built working class/underclass areas of the north inner city of Dublin, but rather they lived in a world apart from ordinary folk. They lived in the leafy green lanes and sea blown landscape of Howth in Dublin. Indeed had this murder taken place in a working class area it would hardly be news worthy. It is only when an act of such gross criminality takes place in the land of the well manicured lawn is it news worthy.

Yet what a tragedy whatever its truth, a young girl has now been left without a beautiful loving mother. It would appear to even the most objective observer that she will soon be left without a father.

Celine Cawley died a brutal death. The 46 year old woman died of blunt force trauma to the head after she was admitted to one of Ireland's finest hospitals, Beaumont, in Dublin. Her husband told the Police (An Garda Siochana) that he had come home to find his wife being attacked by an intruder.

When Gardai asked Eamon Lillis why his dogs had not reacted to the alleged intruder, Eamon Lillis replied, "Molly's very laid back, Sam, the Ridgeback, is very cowardly". Lillis has since admitted that there was no intruder. It has also become clear that while initially denying that he was having an affair with a younger woman, Lillis was indeed having an affair for some weeks and months prior to his wife's murder. The woman in question has been fully co-operative with the Police.

There is no doubt that some journalist or other will use the transcript of this trial to produce another paper back for the book shelfs in Amazon. However, it is the tragedy and lose of a mother and father to a young innocent child that touches the heart of this writer.