Widow, 50, of millionaire, 75, who died a DAY after wedding ‘broken' by claims she ‘engineered' death to inherit fortune
Mum-of-three
4
Millionaire farmer Joseph Grogan died a day after secretly marrying his carer
4
Widow of Joe Grogan, Lisa Flaherty, pictured leaving the Tullamore Coroner's Court
Credit: collinsphotos.com
4
Lisa now stands to inherit his 220 acre farm in Screggan, Tullamore
Credit: collinsphotos.com
He knew he didn't have long to live after a long fight with blood cancer and had no children.
So he married his partner and gave her the right to inherit his estate - but shockingly he died just 24 hours later.
Lisa now stands to inherit his 220 acre farm in Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly, which is valued at €5.5 million (£4.77 million).
The timing prompted a slew of claims about Lisa being a gold digger who married him for his money.
More insidious claims suggested she had known the millionaire farmer was dying and saw an opportunity to get her hands on the estate.
She moved in with him in January 2023 to become his carer when he was diagnosed with stage four non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He died three months later.
But they previously dated in 1991 - when she was just 16 and he was 41.
Lisa went on to marry another man and had three kids who are now in their 20s.
Most read in The Sun
But her friends told the
They said she is "broken" after lawyers for the Grogan family questioned her credibility.
Joe Keys, a friend of Mr Grogan, said: "The world can think what it wants but how Lisa has been portrayed is not right.
"They were both wonderful people who were very well respected in this community. Lisa didn't care for Joe because she wanted his money, that's total rubbish."
A close friend of Ms Flaherty said: "It does sound a bit strange, but this is rural Ireland, strange things happen."
The friends and locals claimed Mr Grogan and Lisa remained very involved in one another's lives.
However his family insist he was a bachelor, and claimed they were excluded from being involved in his life as his health went downhill.
They didn't know Lisa and Mr Grogan had got married and only found out he had passed away after being told by a friend.
The coroner said Mr Grogan's death was likely due to a "probability of infection" with his
But he was
A SECRET MARRIAGE
During a three-day inquest, Peter Jones, the solicitor representing Mr Grogan's 90-year-old aunt said "an awful lot of unanswered questions" remain.
He also pointed to the "undue haste" with which he said the farmer's remains were taken to be embalmed.
Barrister Damien Tansey, representing Mr Grogan's cousins, pushed for the Gardai to conduct a forensic investigation before the coroner came to a decision.
Coroner Mahon, however, dismissed the suggestion.
According to Mr Tansey Mr Grogan's death, which he called "sudden and unexpected" had caused a stir in the community.
He went on to claim that the concerns raised by residents of the local area and the medical community had not been addressed by the inquest.
A pathologist had confirmed that cancer had not been the cause of death, and neither was organ failure.
Pathologist Charles d'Adhemar had warned that if the three medications Mr Grogan had been prescribed were not administered correctly, it could depress his respiratory and nervous systems.
Mr Tansey claimed that the speedy embalming procedure meant the pathologist could not test for drugs in the deceased's system.
Lisa had repeatedly claimed that her husband had inoperable, stage four cancer and was at the end of life stage - something his family disputed.
He added that the secrecy of the marriage was concerning.
The coroner said he would not rule on the validity of the marriage.
And Stephen Byrne, representing Lisa, said that Mr Tansey had all but accused her of causing Mr Grogan's death.
He went on to say that he had been concerned the inquest into Mr Grogan's death would be used to attack her good name.
Mr Byrne continued, saying that the person who stepped up and cared for Mr Grogan - Lisa - had been "dragged over the coals."
Mr Byrne said: "He knew his own body, and he knew he was not going to beat this [cancer]."
Read more on the Irish Sun
The inquest ultimately ruled that Mr Grogan died of natural causes linked to cancer and his treatment.
He added that there were "valid concerns" about Mr Grogan's care but said it must be remembered that the deceased was very reluctant to see a doctor.
4
Coroner Raymond Mahon pictured leaving Tullamore Coroner's Court
Credit: collinsphotos.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
4 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Lucy Letby ‘acts like Queen Bee in jail' and ‘gets hair & nails done in salon with killer pal Sara Sharif's step-mum'
BABY killer nurse Lucy Letby acts like the "Queen Bee" in prison due to the level of privileges she's afforded - angering other prisoners, it is claimed. The 35-year-old is Advertisement 5 Baby killer nurse Lucy Letby is serving 15 life sentences Credit: PA 5 Beinash Batool murdered her 10-year-old stepdaughter Sara Sharif Credit: AP 5 The pair are on Unit 4 of HMP Bronzefield Credit: Rex Letby is reported to have struck up a bizarre friendship with Beinash Batool, who murdered her 10-year-old stepdaughter Sara Sharif. The ex-neo natal nurse is said to be chaperoned by prison guards wherever she goes, and special areas have to be cleared whenever she wants to visit - due to the high risk of her being attacked by fellow lags. given 'enhanced' privileges at HMP Bronzefield, Surrey. They also have "a lot of freedom" and can buy foods that others can't - often in the kitchen making cheese toasties together. Advertisement Read more news Letby allegedly moans Sources have since told They say the government's Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme, which is designed to encourage good behaviour among prisoners, is being used by Letby who manipulates prison officers to get what she wants. The source said: "She turns on the tears at the drop of a hat, she gets all her visits in the family room which is really lovely even though she doesn't have children, it's meant to be for children and they've made it really nice. Her parents come to see her," our source said. Advertisement Most read in The Sun "She walks around like she's Queen Bee, she stops other enhanced prisoners going to the library because she says 'I'm scared, I'm scared, I don't know what they'll do to me' but what about other people who are enhanced and want to use that library, they can't. "When she and Beinash go to the salon, the whole salon has to be shut down, because they are scared that other prisoners will attack them and obviously there are scissors and stuff there." The source said the pair go to the salon "at least once a month" and Letby is "always getting" her hair and nails done, adding the wing is "like an upside down world". Lucy Letby cops arrest 3 senior members of leadership team at hospital where killer nurse murdered 7 babies Letby and Batool, 31, have also reportedly been awarded "positive behaviour comments" by prison officers as part of the IEP scheme. Advertisement This means they get extra perks like visiting the prison staff restaurant, called Vita Nova, which has two qualified chefs, and inmates can be trained barista and knife skills, it's claimed. And when Letby attends the likes of the salon or Vita Nova, it is closed to others to protect her, but she chooses to take Batool as her plus one guest, according to reports. One prisoner told The Mirror, there is "so much hatred for her" because she's "treated like she's Queen Bee". As reported by The Sun previously, the killer nurse works three different prison jobs and blows her wages on sweets and crisps. Advertisement Letby has jobs as a laundry worker, earning £8 a week, a kitchen worker - another £8 a week - and a library worker. Lag sources say she's put on so much weight "you wouldn't recognise her". Unit 4 of 527-inmate Bronzefield, which is run by private firm Sodexo. Letby and Batool both have TVs with Freeview channels and a DVD player, along with books and films, which they can order from the library. Advertisement Others on the unit include Shamed prison officer Letby — Batool was Advertisement Sara's dad, Urfan Sharif, is 5 Ten-year-old Sara Sharif was murdered by her parents Credit: PA 5 Letby and Batool love card game Uno Credit: Stewart Williams
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Plane passengers tackle man who claimed to have bomb before emergency landing
EasyJet passengers pinned down a man as he shouted about having a bomb on the plane in mid-air. The moment was captured as the packed plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Glasgow Airport today. A witness claimed he woke up at about 8am to see the man exiting the toilets at the rear of the plane. The passenger, who did not want to be named, told The Sun: "He literally came out of the toilet shouting 'Allahu Akbar' with his hands above his head. Then he said 'I've got a bomb, I've got a bomb' - at this point people were confused. I thought he was joking, I mean it's a weird joke." He was also heard shouting "death to America" and "death to Trump". The 39-year-old witness, who was flying to Glasgow from Luton for his dad's birthday, added: "He pushed the airline staff and was being aggressive towards them. He was a big guy, about six foot and they were these petite women." The witness said three passengers pinned the man down. Footage also shows flight attendant clambering over the seats in their high heels as they went to check the man's bag. "The pilot announced he was making an emergency landing and took the plane down so quickly," the witness said. He claimed passengers believed they would have needed to land elsewhere but that they eventually came down at Glasgow airport. Police officers then came onboard the plane. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "We received a report of a man causing a disturbance on a flight arriving in Glasgow around 8.20am on Sunday, 27 July, 2025. "A 41-year-old man was arrested in connection and further enquiries are ongoing." A spokesperson added: "At this time we believe the incident was contained and that nobody else was involved. We are aware of videos circulating online and these are being assessed by counter terrorism officers." "Flight EZY609 from Luton to Glasgow this morning was met by police on arrival in Glasgow, where they boarded the aircraft and removed a passenger due to their behaviour onboard," an EasyJet spokesperson told The Mirror. "EasyJet's crew are trained to assess all situations and act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time. The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is always easyJet's highest priority." Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Man sexually assaulted his estranged wife while she was in bed with her children
A man who sexually assaulted his estranged wife on two separate occasions while she was sleeping in her bed with her young children has been sentenced to four years in prison. The 47-year-old father of two, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of his victims, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on his wife at their family home in Wicklow two years ago. Detective Garda Catherine O'Rourke said the couple, who are both non-Irish nationals, had separated in January 2023 but they had both continued to live in the same house. The witness told a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court that the accused entered his wife's bedroom without her permission where she was sleeping with their two very young children on the night of November 10, 2023. Det Garda O'Rourke said the woman woke up at one stage and had the feeling she was being touched in some way. The woman said husband had remarked: 'Sorry, I was horny' after she found him leaning over her before telling him to get out of her room. The court heard that he had digitally penetrated his victim who reported the matter to gardai the following day. Det Garda O'Rourke said the woman also informed them that there had been another incident sometime earlier in March 2023 when she woke suddenly, while she was sleeping in bed with one of her children, to feel being touched on her skin under her nightdress. She said the woman had screamed at her husband to get out of the room when she realised he had been touching her bum. When arrested, Det Garda O'Rourke said the man claimed he had been in his wife's bedroom and had lifted his daughter and had gotten an erection as he had placed her back in the bed. She agreed with Mr Kelly that the accused was in denial about his offending but had cooperated with gardaí. The court heard the defendant, who had six previous convictions for road traffic offences, only pleaded guilty after a trial had commenced last February as his wife was about to give evidence. In an emotional victim impact during which she broke down repeatedly, the woman said she felt very unsafe and violated after the two incidents but she had nowhere to go and did not think the authorities would believe her. The woman said her husband, from whom she has now filed for divorce, would not move out of the house after their separation. 'He would be remorseful for a few days and then say he did nothing wrong,' she recalled. She said he would also accuse her of being difficult and dramatic and attempted to portray her as being promiscuous and a bad mother. The woman said the second assault had devastated her life forever with her children still asking questions about their father. She told the court that her main concern was to keep a family routine for her children despite her own personal feelings about their father. The woman said she believed that after securing a protection order that it would protect her from any further attempt to hurt or scare her. 'I was very wrong,' she added before breaking out in tears. She said her ex-husband continued to act brazenly in the house which would leave her whole body shaking and feeling 'in survival moment every time.' The woman said she could no longer sleep in the bedroom where the assault took place and would have to make up an excuse for her children why she was sleeping on the floor of their room. The court heard that she stopped wearing make-up and nail polish and took to wearing long-sleeved clothing because she felt the need to hide and make herself invisible, while she also developed severe skin conditions from stress. The woman said she had to take extended sick leave from her job after breaking down hysterically after returning to work several weeks after the second assault. She described how she had developed thoughts of suicide and had made an actual plan to take her own life while her children were with their father. 'My children are the only reason I am still alive. They are the reason I didn't do it,' she observed. The woman also fought back tears as she explained her belief that her neighbours no longer invited her children on playdates because of gardaí calling to her house. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week After a period of living elsewhere, the woman said her ex-husband had returned to the house in January 2024 without her permission and refused to find alternative accommodation. The court heard he subsequently began to live in his car which was parked in front of her house which made her feel she was under surveillance all the time. The woman said what happened had also caused her great financial difficulties. She again broke down as she explained how she tried to keep co-parenting her children after the assault for their sake, despite her not being able to talk to or be in the same space as her ex-husband. The woman said his conviction came as a 'massive relief' because she did not believe she would ever be truly remorseful for what he had done. Judge John Martin sentenced the accused to four years in prison for the second sexual assault and 18 months for the first offence to run consecutively. However, the judge said he would suspend the final 18 months of the sentence on condition that the defendant keep the peace for a period of two years after his release from prison and have no further contact with his wife without her express consent. He said an aggravating factor in the case was how the accused had twice assaulted his wife in the same bed where his children were sleeping for his own 'gratification or power trip.' Noting the man was now on the sex offenders register, Judge Martin said his children were also secondary victims in the case, although he accepted the accused's expression of remorse as genuine. Sign up to the Irish Mirror's Courts and Crime newsletter here and get breaking crime updates and news from the courts direct to your inbox.
