Gardaí carrying out a fresh investigation into the violent death of a young chef in Co Clare 40 years ago believe people in the local area have information that could help solve the case and bring closure to the dead man’s family.
Pat Nugent (23), of Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, died of injuries sustained during an incident in the early hours of February 11th, 1984, after working as a banqueting manager at a 40th wedding anniversary party at Bunratty Castle.
On the night of his death, guests recalled hearing a crash and shouting outside and finding Mr Nugent collapsed on the ground and holding his stomach. There were two crashed cars at the scene.
The dead man’s brother, Martin Nugent, said that, before his brother’s death, “we didn’t realise how good we had it at the time”. However, both his parents had since died never knowing what had happened to their eldest son and never getting justice.
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“We still believe the truth is there to be found,” he said during an appeal on RTÉ's Crimecall programme on Monday night. “Pat had a good work ethic, he was certainly leading by example. We was a very sharp dresser, very smart, it went with the job.”
However, after leaving for work in Bunratty as usual one Friday afternoon “aged 23 years of age and in perfect health” the family was “never going to be the same again, Pat was never going to walk through that door again”.
“After 40 years we’re really no wiser today than we were back then, even after an investigation, a trial, an inquest. We definitely feel that somebody knows what happened and we’d appeal for any information that can help the investigation, to draw a line under the events once and for all and to let Pat Nugent rest in peace.”
William Ryan, a chef at nearby Shannon Airport who was celebrating his wedding anniversary that night, was charged with Mr Nugent’s manslaughter but was later acquitted. It emerged in court that Mr Ryan gave three different statements to gardaí about what happened that night. Two off-duty gardaí were at the party.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee two years ago told Mr Nugent’s family that Garda Commissioner Drew Harris had ordered a fresh investigation into certain matters raised by retired District Court judge Patrick Clyne, who completed a report into the original investigation.
Det Insp David Finnerty of Shannon Garda station has now said around 60 guests attended the party in Bunratty on the night. They were served with a buffet meal in a function room known as ‘the barn’. By around 4am, there were about a dozen people remaining “when they heard noises coming from the direction of the courtyard”.
“There they found Patrick in the doorway which leads to the courtyard, he was injured and in a distressed state,” he said, adding while Mr Nugent received medical attention at the scene he was pronounced dead on arrival at Barrington’s Hospital, Limerick, having sustained crush injuries.
Det Insp Finnerty said gardaí were now carrying out a fresh investigation, adding detectives wanted to hear from anyone who was at the function on the night. They were also keen to speak to any family members of people present as they may have information about the night, including photographs.
“We’re utilising all modern day investigative techniques and it is hoped with advances in technology we can progress the investigation,” he said. “We’re very conscious there may be people out there who, through the passage of time, or a change in their personal circumstances, they may have information that they haven’t shared with us to date. They’ll be treated with sensitivity and compassion.”
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