Man (32) appears in court accused of murdering widower John O'Neill (78) in Co Clare

Thomas Lorigan of no fixed abode appeared at a special sitting of Ennis District Court on Saturday night charged with the murder of Mr O’Neill (78) at St Brendan’s Rd, Lisdoonvarna at an unknown time on the 6th/7th of January.

Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution at Ennis Garda Station at 8.03pm on Saturday evening, Dt Sgt John Farmer of Kilrush Garda Station told the court that when cautioned and charged, Mr Lorigan said ‘no comment’.

Insp Helen Costello told the court that the Garda application was to remand Mr Lorigan in custody and that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed a trial on indictment.

Solicitor for Mr Lorigan, Shiofra Hassett asked that Mr Lorigan be psychiatrically assessed while on remand in prison.

Judge Marie Keane remanded Mr Lorigan to Limerick Prison and directed that it be noted on the warrant that Mr Lorigan consented to being transferred to Cloverhill prison where he will be automatically psychiatrically assessed.

Judge Keane granted legal aid to Ms Hassett to represent Mr Lorigan in the case.

Judge Keane remanded Mr Lorigan in custody to appear via video-link from prison at Ennis District Court on Wednesday next.

The deceased in the case, father-of-two John O’Neill had only recently lost his wife, Christine and ran a B&B in Lisdoonvarna.