This article is from page 3 of the 2011-01-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
GARDAÍ are hoping that after eight years, there may still be some information which can help them solve a brutal Clare murder.
Relatives of the late Sean Poland are mourning the eighth anniversary of his death. They are also appealing for anyone with information about the car-dealer’s death to come forward.
Gardaí are hoping that the time of year may jog someone’s memory of the New Year’s Eve eight years ago when Mr Poland was shot at his home.
The 39-year-old was shot dead during an armed raid at his home in Blackwater on New Year’s Eve 2002. Several arrests have been made in connection with his killing but noone has ever been charged. Mr Poland’s partner Joanne Lyons, 42, was tied up by the killers, who arrived at the house just minutes after the couple returned home from a night out. It is thought a deal made by Mr Poland in a city centre pub earlier that night may have been linked to his killing. The gang also escaped with about € 1,000 in cash from Mr Poland’s home. The attack shocked the country and sparked calls for greater control of firearms. It is believed criminals from the city were responsible for the murder and more than 20 people have been arrested to date by gardaí investigating the killing,
In 2004, gardaí in Limerick had arrested nine people in connection with the murder of the 39-year-old man.
The seven men and two women were arrested in early-morning raids across Limerick city. They were questioned and released without charge.
The previous year, two men and a woman were arrested but also released without charge.
Sean’s sister, Marie Horgan says that they are still hoping for a breakthrough in the investigation especially with the establishment of a dedicated cold case unit to look into old crimes.
The family make the appeal on each anniversary and last year, Sean’s brother Ray appealed for anyone with information about the killing to come forward.
“I know for a fact that somebody knows something. I would appeal to them to come forward with that information because we still don’t know who did it or the reasons why,” he said.
“Sean was an innocent man and. He was only 39 years of age and he should still be alive today. Some people deserve it, but he didn’t, and, really, there has been no closure for us,” he added.
Ray said that Poland this time of year was particularly difficult for him and his family.
“It is tough and the pain is still there. A lot of other cases seem to have been solved in the meantime but we haven’t got any answers. There doesn’t seem to have been any movement at all,” he said.
A Garda spokesperson confirmed that the murder investigation remained open, but said there had been no significant developments over the past 12 months.
“If anyone has information they can contact us in confidence,” he said.
Anyone with information about the murder pf Mr Poland can contact Henry Street Garda Station at 061 212400 or the Garda confidential line at 1800 666111.