BREAKING: Gardai should probe Offaly farmer's death, inquest told

THE gardai should open an investigation into the circumstances of the death of Screggan farmer Joseph Grogan, the inquest in Tullamore heard today (Tuesday, July 15).

Damien Tansey, SC, for members of the Grogan family, said public concerns would be “significantly added to” if Offaly Coroner, Raymond Mahon, returned a verdict.

Instead, Mr Tansey urged, the file should be referred to the DPP for a “forensic investigation” by An Garda Siochana.

After a further detailed investigation the report could be returned to the coroner and he could then reach his verdict.

Peter Jones, solicitor for Teresa Mooney (nee Grogan), an aunt of the deceased, urged Mr Mahon to record an open verdict referring the matter to An Garda Siochana for investigation.

Mr Jones said the gardai might come up with evidence that would satisfy the public disquiet around the man's death.

Stephen Byrne, BL, for Lisa Flaherty, widow of Mr Grogan, disagreed, saying that the gardai already had the opportunity to begin an investigation and if they wished to do so they could have made an application to have the inquest adjourned.

For there to be any further investigation by the DPP there would have to be valid concerns for suspicion and relevant admissible evidence, said Mr Byrne.

He said a lot of gossip and conspiracy had been thrown together and it would seem from what Mr Tansey and Mr Jones had said a number of people were involved.

Earlier this afternoon the inquest heard evidence from two first cousins of the late Joseph Grogan, Sean Grogan, Naas, Co Kildare, and Padraig Grogan, Brocca, Screggan.

Sean Grogan said he visited Joe Grogan's house on the day he died and was initially told when he arrived that he could not go in because ambulance staff were administering palliative care.

He then got another call later and returned and when he saw his cousin he noticed the man had one eye closed and one eye half open.

He said Mr Grogan was carried to an armchair which was stacked up on blocks in the kitchen to provide a view out a window and said that armchair had been given to his cousin by his “previous girlfriend”, a woman he named as Mary McDonnell.

He learned later in the day that Joseph had got married the previous day. None of the Grogan family knew about the marriage, he said.

Sean Grogan also agreed that “confirmed bachelor” would be an accurate description of Joe, a farmer who had 220 acres of land and whose home was about half a mile from the Flaherty ancestral home.

Padraig Grogan told the inquest he was in America with his wife Joan visiting their son at the time of Joe Grogan's death.

Before they left they asked Joe to let them know how he was getting on and he recalled Joe saying that Lisa would look after that.

Padraig Grogan said he had a farm of 230 acres and Joe's had been about the same size before the construction of a ring road which required about 10 acres of his land.

Padraig Grogan said Joe Grogan got between €800,000 and €900,000 in compensation for the land used for the ring road and €5.5 million was his accountant's valuation of the farm.

In addition to farming, Joe, who had been an only child, was in the concrete business and sold sand and gravel from a sandpit on his land.

Padraig Grogan said Joe Grogan never told him he was dying and he did not want to die.

He had only learned of the marriage after the death and said his cousin had never referred to a fiancee and made no reference to getting married. He also said Joe Grogan had been in a 23-year-relationship with another woman.

The coroner, Mr Mahon, said he would return at 6pm this evening (Tuesday, July 15) having considered the evidence.

READ NEXT: Sister-in-law says appropriate steps were taken on day Joe Grogan passed away