Call for fresh inquest into the murder of Mary McGlinchey

The son of a County Derry woman, who was murdered in her home 35 years ago, is calling for a fresh inquest into her death.

Mary McGlinchey, the wife of former INLA leader Dominic McGlinchey, from Bellaghy, was shot nine times in the bathroom of her Dundalk home on January 31, 1987.

The 31 year-old was bathing her two sons, Dominic Óg, aged nine, and ten year-old Declan at the time.

Now, Dominic Óg McGlinchey, the sole remaining immediate relative of Mrs McGlinchey, is calling for a fresh inquest into her death.

Mullholland Law, who have been instructed to act on his behalf, have made representations to the Attorney General in Dublin.

In a statement, solicitor Ciarán Mulholland, said: “Given the scant documentation received from the Coroner for Co. Louth and the extraordinary apathetic attitude of Gardai to our enquiries we have made representations to the Attorney General seeking that they exercise their statutory discretion and order a fresh inquest pursuant to s.24(1) of the Coroner Act.

“It is absurd to think that one of the most horrific murders during the recent Troubles is officially recorded by the State as 'cause of death – laceration of brain'.”

He continued: “A swift inquest a year after those dreadful events with merely two civilian witnesses, two Garda witnesses and the State Pathologist. There is no doubt that there was insufficiency of inquiry as to how death occurred.

“Mary McGlinchey was murdered having been assaulted and shot several times at close quarters in the presence of her children. This was most definitely an unlawful killing – nothing less and should of lead to a full thorough investigation whcih was effective and efficient.

“The cases and failures of numerous State agencies necessitate why we need urgent radical reform to our discriminatory Coronial System.”