The family and neighbours of Mr John Carthy did not fear for their own safety when Mr Carthy began firing shots the night before he was killed by armed gardaí, the Barr tribunal heard yesterday.
Ms Alice Farrell, next-door neighbour and close family friend of the Carthys, said that at no point during the evening of April 19th, 2000, the night the siege in Abbeylara began, did anyone in the Walsh house fear for their own lives.
Ms Rose Carthy came to the house of her sister, Ms Nancy Walsh, after her son had started firing shots. Ms Farrell, Ms Ann Walsh and Ms Nancy Walsh were already in the house.
Ms Farrell said that she "certainly wasn't frightened" for her own safety. "Nobody in the house was, all we were worried about was John."
Despite rigorous cross examination by Mr Diarmuid McGuinness, counsel for the Garda Commissioner, and Ms Margaret Nerney, counsel for the gardaí, Ms Farrell maintained that at no time did anyone fear they would be harmed by Mr Carthy. She said she did not recall gardaí asking what circumstances had led to Mr Carthy starting to fire shots. However, she said she did ask gardaí who called to the Walsh house why Mr Carthy had been given back his gun.
Ms Farrell said she distinctly remembered telling gardaí that evening that Mr Carthy was under the care of psychiatrist Dr Shanley. Dr Shanley did not come to Abbeylara until the next day, about one hour before Mr Carthy was shot dead.
