This article is from page 4 of the 2006-12-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
AS the fourth anniversary of the murder of Seán Poland looms close, his family is still holding out hope that his killers will be caught.
Mr Poland (39) was shot dead at his home at Blackwater, Ardnacrusha, on New Year’s Eve, 2002, after he answered the door to a group of men. They tied up and attacked his partner, Joanne Lyons, and made off with a sum of cash.
Although a number of people were arrested in connection with the murder, no-one has ever been charged. The investment of major garda resources into the investigation has failed to result in any charges being brought. Mr Poland’s sister Marie Horgan – who lives in Ballyheigue, Kerry, is still hoping that the murder will be solved.
“It does not get any easier, where there is no closure. We are still holding out hope. You couldn’t put closure on it, especially when you see other cases being solved. It is heart-breaking, especially when we knew he was innocent. Seán was a good person,” said Marie.
“We will never get over it. If we could find out who did it and why, it would help in some way,” she added.
She hopes that someone’s conscience will affect them or that someone’s memory into what happened that night will lead to a breakthrough.
“People talk. Someone has to have heard something and we would appeal to people to go to any garda station and let them know,” she said.
She said every killing in Limerick brings her brother’s death back to her. Yesterday’s murder of Noel Crawford (40) at O’Malley Park in Limerick was particularly chilling, given that he was around the same age as Seán.
Seán was a bricklayer by trade and was also a second-hand car dealer. His family originally hailed from Clontuskert in east Galway and Séan grew up just miles away in Portumna. The family moved to the Ardnacrusha area when Seán was very young. His brother Ray lives just 100 yards from where Seán had lived with his partner.
“Seán was a happy-go-lucky fella with a big heart. He would do anything for you. The family was very close always,” said Marie.
While most families are looking forward to New Year’s Eve celebrations, the Poland family will gather in Clontuskert, for Seán’s fourth anniversary mass, and will pray that his killers will be caught.