Mystery still surrounds why two brothers in their sixties were attacked multiple times with a 3.5kg timber axe by their brother who later drowned himself in a river, a triple inquest in Mallow, Co Cork has heard.
Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, told the inquest at Mallow Courthouse that brothers Willie (66) and Paddy Hennessy (60) would have both gone unconscious when they were hit multiple times with an axe which was recovered from the crime scene at Curraghgorm in Mitchelstown, Co Cork, on February 25th this year.
Their 59-year-old brother, Johnny, was later found dead in the River Funcheon. His postmortem indicated that he died from acute cardio respiratory failure due to drowning.
Paddy and Willie died of brain trauma. The blood stained axe was found in the farmyard and a garda investigation concluded that the two brothers died from unlawful killing whilst Johnny ended his own life.
The inquest heard that gardaí were not looking for anybody else in relation to the three deaths. Willie and Paddy had to be identified from their dental records.
Distressed
Breda O’Reilly, a sister of the Hennessy brothers, told the inquest that Johnny had phoned her shortly before 6pm on February 25th.
He was distressed and informed her that there had been a fight among the brothers. He requested that she get her husband Ned O’Reilly to come to the family farm.
She said she “got a fright from him.”
“He said there was a row between the brothers and one of them hit him a belt of a fist. Johnny seemed kind of stressed. I was a bit shocked – they were always quiet boys and were never fighting.”
Mr O’Reilly said that Breda was “very upset” by the call.
“She just handed me the phone. Johnny started to talk to me: ‘I’m in trouble. I’m in trouble – can you come over, can you come over?’ He said that they had had a row and the other two boys had beaten him up.”
Ned told Johnny Hennessy that he didn’t want to go to the family farm because he would be breaching the Covid restrictions by going outside his five kilometres.
He then called Mitchelstown Garda station and told them Johnny had phoned in a distressed state.
He gave gardaí Johnny’s phone number and the address of the farm. He said he got Johnny’s permission to ring the guards as “he hates the gardai and doctors.”
No indication of disturbance
Garda Tracey Howard gave evidence that she called Johnny Hennessy, and he sounded composed and calm.
There was no indication of any disturbance in the background, and he stated that everything was sorted out. Johnny even made a joke with the garda that they should know better than to be arguing at their stage in life.
“John Hennessy had been described to me as ‘breathless and roaring’ when he was talking to Ned O’Reilly but when I spoke to him, he was calm and nothing alerted me that something had happened – I got no red flags from him, and he said he didn’t need the guards or an ambulance.”
Garda Howard said that she suggested to Johnny Hennessy that he contact his sister Breda and her husband as they were concerned about the situation. She told him he needed to reassure them that everything was calm at the farm.
Mr O’Reilly told the inquest that Johnny called Breda again.
He informed her gardaí had been on to him, but he had put them off coming out to the farm.
He said Johnny Hennessy was less upset than earlier and was getting his breath back.
Garda James Wade overheard part of the conversation at the Garda station. He stated that he heard Johnny Hennessy insisting everything was okay and that there was no requirement for gardaí to attend at the property.
Fearful
The inquest heard that Paddy’s daughter Elaine became concerned about her father when he didn’t return home. There was no answer to any of the brothers’ phones. She went to the farmyard at around 11pm with her mother Stephanie.
As mother and daughter drove in to the farm the headlights of their car enabled them to see a body on the ground. Elaine gave evidence that her mother said “that’s a body.”
I could see it too. I knew it was Dad because I recognised his clothes. I could see it covered in blood.
The women raised the alarm and locked themselves in to their car as Elaine said they were fearful for their own personal safety.
"I knew he [Paddy] was dead. It looked gruesome. I was in complete shock. I knew Dad was lying there face up. I recognised his boots and his clothes. We just panicked as we were scared someone was there, and we ran back to the car and locked the doors. We rang 999.”
Paddy’s body was discovered in the farmyard. He had sustained severe head injuries.
Willie’s body was also found in a nearby shed. He also had sustained serious head injuries.
Elaine said that the brothers got on well, and she couldn’t understand what occurred.
There was never any hassle between them.
"Willie suffered a bit from his nerves and Johnny suffered from social anxiety and did not mix with people. But there was never a bad word between them.”
Meanwhile, pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said both siblings would have passed away quickly.
She conducted postmortems on Willie and Paddy on February 26th last at Cork University Hospital.
She concluded that Willie died from blunt force trauma to the head with a severe brain injury arising out of multiple blows from a blunt weapon.
Willie also incurred fractures to his skull, jaw, face and vertebrae. He also had defence like wounds on his hands and arms.
Paddy Hennessy also died from blunt force trauma to the head and a severe brain injury caused by multiple blows from an axe. He also sustained fractured ribs but was without defence injuries.
The injuries in both cases were caused by the blunt-end of the heavy axe.
Major search operation
Johnny Hennessy’s body was recovered shortly before lunchtime on February 26th from the River Funcheon following a major Garda search operation involving 50 gardaí.
His van was found near Killacluig church a few kilometres from the farm.
Garda Pat Harrington said his search dogs found a number of items beside a tree on the bank of the river.
These included a cigarette package, a car key ring and a baseball camp. There was an indentation on the ground and footprints leading in to the water.
The Hennessys' other brother Jer died a few years ago in a personal tragedy. Breda is the only surviving member of the immediate family.
Paddy Hennessy’s partner Kitty Russell said the men had a good relationship.
"None of them ever had an argument or a bad word between them. I never saw any violence there. There was never any anger or bad words between them. Johnny was set in his ways, but he was never physical or violent towards his brothers."
History of family tragedies
The inquest heard that two of the men were the victims of unlawful killing while the third took his own life.
Supt Padraig Powell said that for reasons unknown Johnny Hennessy had killed his two brothers and then taken his own life.
The three brothers were known locally as "The Saints Hennessys".
Neighbours gave evidence that they never saw any evidence of trouble between the men.
The men ran a timber and kindling business from their farm. When Paddy had a stroke in October 2019 Willie helped him with his timber run.
North Cork Coroner Dr Michael Kennedy in recording the verdicts of unlawful killing for Paddy and Willie, and Johnny taking his own his life, said that it was a tragedy of “terrible proportions” particularly given that the Hennessy family had a history of family tragedies.
“Your family has already suffered two tragedies in the death of Jer [brother of the Hennessys] and Paudie [son/nephew] so my deepest sympathies.”
Dr Kennedy said in spite of a comprehensive garda probe there was still no clue as to what was the trigger for the enormous tragedy involving three hardworking men.
Detective Inspector Ann Marie Twomey said a file had been sent to the DPP which directed no prosecution.
The jury at the inquest recorded a recommendation that the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly review and enhance the support services locally for people who may be suffering from mental health issues in rural and urban Ireland.
“Many of these people are suffering in silence from various issues.”
The jury also asked that the role of the community guard in relation to domestic issues be reviewed and consideration should be given to engaging directly with people in distress.
Both the coroner and the jury extended their condolences to the family of the deceased.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can freephone the Samaritans 24 hours a day for confidential support at 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.
You can also freephone the national Bereavement Support Line run by the HSE and Irish Hospice Foundation at 1800 80 70 77 (Monday-Friday 10am-1pm), and the contact information for a range of mental health supports is available at mentalhealthireland.ie/get-support/.
In the case of an emergency, or if you or someone you know is at risk of suicide or self-harm, dial 999/112.
