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Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Award-winning photographer was a mirror to the world and a dear friend to many
The funeral of our photographer Mick O'Neill, tragically killed in a road traffic accident last weekend, took place on Monday, July 21, in had travelled all over the world with his job, on often risky assignments, sent home pictures from places as far flung as Peru, Lebanon, The Netherlands, Mauritius, India, Dubai and it is also fair to say many of our sports-mad readers had a brush with his lens at times as he covered, by choice, a lot of domestic and Mick's long standing joke about some of the more obscure games we covered was that 'we were not so much outstanding in our own fields but out standing in someone else's...' It never ceased to amaze me either that he was on first-name terms with so many. He had privately organised/sent on pics, to players, clubs, charities and they remembered him. Photographers form a guard of honour at the funeral of Irish Mirror photographer, Mick O'Neill. (Image: Collins Photos) I've done every sport imaginable with Mick as well as news stories encompassing everything from astronauts to Holocaust, from Ballyragget to Ballymun, Ploughing Championships to Galway was a tough newspaper character, stoic by times, with an often 1940/50s lazy carry of the camera but with a hawkeye for a picture, especially a compassionate one amid we recently found ourselves in a corner in a tough, some might say infamous neighbourhood where his bravery behind a quick smile got us out. It is not easy carrying a couple of thousand euros worth of cameras, it makes you an easy target, but he just had that carriage - trust PLC's Head of Photographic Zoe Watson was Mick's boss but it also made her the person responsible for delivering the roster/bad news to they have to spend some time in a cold ditch or cramped in our 'secret' van without heating or a toilet or in Mick's case he had to go somewhere where there was sun."I've some great memories of the few times we'd been together, the last being at the photography awards in February," says Zoe. "I'll always remember his mischievous snigger when you knew he was up to something and always had a sparkle in his eye. The funeral of photographer Mick O'Neill at the Church of St Finian's, River Valley, Swords, Dublin this morning. (Image: Stephen Collins/Collins Photo) "He was a chancer who once tried to claim expenses for three deodorants, three bottles of suncream and four shower gels - he was only going on a four day trip to the Leb."I remember phoning him about it and the both of us just burst out laughing, he knew he wouldn't get away with that one."Multi-award winning sports writer and documentary maker David Coughland ('Louder Than Bombs: The Smiths in Ireland, 1984', 'Cigarettes and Samba', 'Crossing The Line', 'Hello Spaceboy', 'Green and Gold') is also a sports editor with this photography is about the instant, it sometimes needs a cross between Billy the Kid and Butch Cassidy - quick on the draw - or miss the moment. "One of my favourite photos by Mick is from a job we did together down in Youghal," says Coughlan of a split-second, single frame shot he will always remember. "It was the week before Cheltenham and Davy Russell's last Festival. "Mick lined up a photo of Davy and his father Jerry - now also sadly gone - when up popped then-four-year-old Liam in between them in sunglasses and a cowboy hat. "Mick pressed the shutter and captured a special moment." Jockey Davy Russell with his son Liam, 4, and father Jerry in the family home in Youghal in Cork (Image: Mick O'Neill) The Star's Deputy Sports Editor - and former Target kingpin - Paul Kavanagh recalls another deodorant related tale. "We were in Vienna for on night to cover a motorsport event and we both had ours sprays taken from us going through the airport. "The next morning we went wandering through the streets of the city, no clue where we were going and no shops pandering to the Lynx effect. "We had a great laugh , and that was Mick all over, easy company and good craic." Of course Mick O'Neill's most celebrated shot was that of the family and the big wave coming over the is a PPAI (Press Photographers' Association of Ireland) award winning shot and I remember him telling me that shot came a different family had been walking along completely oblivious that the storm wall was breached every so often, it was a question waiting. When the wave finally crashed over top, the family's St Vitus Dance wasn't just captured in one shot. There is actually a succession of them, one after another with so much movement they are almost 3D. Mick O'Neill with his PPAI award and award-winning picture That's the same PPAI that accorded Mick one of their highest marks of respect - members formed a guard of honour for the coffin as it left the church with their cameras on the ground at their Crime Reporter and fiction author Mick O'Toole (Black Light, Goodreads, 2022) recalls: "As far as I am concerned his best 'sports' picture is from a golf course where, naturally enough, he wasn't a member. It was the one at Shelton Abbey prison in Co Wicklow. "Regarding this, we believe he is the only person in Irish history ever to break INTO a prison when in September 2021, he learned that the criminal, serving life for the murder of Veronica Guerin, was now locked up there. "Mick gained access and fought his way through woods and heavy undergrowth before hiding for several hours to get photos of his target playing pitch and putt in the prison grounds – his images deservedly made the front pages the next day." Mick is gone but may have one big headline left in him. His picture of Michael Kelley, taken from tracking the subject deep into a wooded area in Kerry, may yet be a 2025 PPAI award winner. Michael Kelley seen here on Michael Gaine's farm near Kenmare Co Kerry. (Image: Exclusive Image: Mick O'Neill/Daily Mirror)
Irish Times
04-07-2025
- Irish Times
Former HSE employee who acted as getaway driver for Lisa Thompson's killer is jailed
A former HSE addiction counsellor has been jailed for two years for acting as a getaway driver for the 'violent and abusive thug' who murdered mother-of-two Lisa Thompson, with a judge noting the defendant 'had not fully come to terms' with her role in the crime. Sentencing judge Mr Justice Patrick McGrath said that this was a 'difficult case' and there was no doubt Deirdre Arnold (42) was subjected to appalling domestic abuse and considerable violence at the hands of Brian McHugh during the course of their relationship. However, the judge found it could not be said that she didn't have a choice in deciding what she did on the day in question. Mr Justice McGrath said he had to take into account that Arnold was under McHugh's 'dominion', was the subject of abuse and was fearful of him. READ MORE The Central Criminal Court heard that Arnold, who in a 'terrible twist of fate' became addicted to heroin and crack cocaine after meeting McHugh, had previously made domestic abuse complaints and got an interim barring order against him. Lisa Thompson (52) was found dead in her home in Ballymun. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin In March this year, Brian McHugh (40), with a former address at Cairn Court, Poppintree, Ballymun in Dublin 11 was jailed for life for murdering 52-year-old Ms Thompson, after a jury found he had inflicted 11 stab wounds to her chest and wrapped a blind cord around her neck. In a separate trial last April, a jury agreed with the prosecution that Arnold was not an 'innocent abroad' and had 'decided at every turn' to assist her then-partner McHugh, whom she knew to have murdered mother-of-two Ms Thompson. The jury unanimously accepted the State's case that Arnold impeded McHugh's prosecution by driving him to Ms Thompson's home at Sandyhill Gardens in Ballymun on May 9th 2022, where she waited outside for 'well over an hour' before driving him away from the scene. Arnold later checked McHugh into the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport in an effort to help him evade prosecution. It was also the prosecution's case that the defendant allowed her silver Hyundai Tucson to be used to dispose of evidence taken from Ms Thompson's home. Before delivering the sentence today, Mr Justice McGrath said Arnold was in a very abusive relationship with McHugh and there was no doubt he was particularly aggressive and violent to her on a number of occasions. 'To some extent she was under his dominion and became a user of heroin, no doubt due to the appalling abuse he visited on her in the course of their relationship,' he added. Brian McHugh, of Cairn Court, Poppintree in Ballymun, was found guilty of murdering Lisa Thompson (52) in May 2022 The judge went on to say the court had heard that McHugh had allegedly broken Arnold's arm by holding it on the bottom of a stairway and stamping on it. Mr Justice McGrath said McHugh had also made threats against Arnold's children and behaved in a 'monstrous fashion' towards her in their relationship. Passing sentence on Friday, Mr Justice McGrath said he had been provided with a book of mitigation on behalf of the defendant. Referring to a letter from Arnold, the judge said he accepted it was a genuine expression of remorse on her part, where she said she wished she had acted differently or recognised the warning signs from McHugh. The judge said Arnold also outlined in her letter that she didn't expect forgiveness but wanted the Thompson family to know she was truly sorry for their loss and would never forget the consequences of that day. Mr Justice McGrath pointed out that Arnold's daughter had also written a letter to the court, where she called the defendant a devoted mother and said she was 'the glue that holds the family together'. A senior investigating officer had told the jury that details of the ligature and strangulation of Ms Thompson had not been released into the public domain in June 2022. The judge said on Friday that Arnold had not fully come to terms with her role in this matter. The judge said Arnold had provided 'a considerable degree of assistance' by her presence at Sandyhill Gardens, when she was the driver of the getaway car. The judge said Arnold's prospects for future employment had been considerably reduced, with no chance of employment in any public sector job. Arnold's defence counsel, Mr Patrick Gageby SC, told her sentence hearing last month that his client had since resigned from her State job and is the sole financial support for her three children. The judge said Arnold has some insight into the matter and he had been told she would not be appealing the verdict. Referring to the two victim impact statements read to the court by the deceased's sister Ashley Duckett, Mr Justice McGrath said Ms Duckett had referred to the devastating impact which the loss of Ms Thompson has had on her life and had also noted the absence of any remorse from both defendants 'as adding to their pain'. The judge noted there was 'significant mitigation' in the case including that Arnold was a middle-aged woman of good character, an excellent mother who provided fully for her children and was a hard worker. 'Whilst not fully accepting the part she played in the matter she has expressed remorse and I accept that's genuine,' he added. Having considered mitigation, the judge reduced the headline sentence of five years to three years.
BreakingNews.ie
04-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Woman (42) jailed for acting as get-away driver for 'violent and abusive' murderer of Lisa Thompson
A former HSE addiction counsellor has been jailed for two years for acting as a get-away driver for the "violent and abusive thug" who murdered mother-of-two Lisa Thompson, with a judge noting the defendant "had not fully come to terms" with her role in the crime. Sentencing judge Mr Justice Patrick McGrath said on Friday that this was a "difficult case" and there was no doubt Deirdre Arnold (42) was subjected to appalling domestic abuse and considerable violence at the hands of Brian McHugh during the course of their relationship. Advertisement However, the judge found it could not be said that she didn't have a choice in deciding what she did on the day in question. Mr Justice McGrath said he had to take into account that Arnold was under McHugh's "dominion", was the subject of abuse and was fearful of him. The Central Criminal Court heard that Arnold, who in a "terrible twist of fate" became addicted to heroin and crack cocaine after meeting McHugh, had previously made domestic abuse complaints and got an interim barring order against him. In March this year, Brian McHugh (40), with a former address at Cairn Court, Poppintree, Ballymun in Dublin 11, was jailed for life for murdering 52-year-old Ms Thompson after a jury found he had inflicted 11 stab wounds to her chest and wrapped a blind cord around her neck. Advertisement In a separate trial last April, a jury agreed with the prosecution that Arnold was not an "innocent abroad" and had "decided at every turn" to assist her then-partner McHugh, whom she knew to have murdered mother-of-two Ms Thompson. The jury unanimously accepted the State's case that Arnold impeded McHugh's prosecution by driving him to Ms Thompson's home at Sandyhill Gardens in Ballymun on May 9th, 2022, where she waited outside for "well over an hour" before driving him away from the scene. Arnold later checked McHugh into the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport in an effort to help him evade prosecution. It was also the prosecution's case that the defendant allowed her silver Hyundai Tucson to be used to dispose of evidence taken from Ms Thompson's home. Advertisement Before delivering the sentence today, Mr Justice McGrath said Arnold was in a very abusive relationship with McHugh and there was no doubt he was particularly aggressive and violent to her on a number of occasions. "To some extent, she was under his dominion and became a user of heroin no doubt due to the appalling abuse he visited on her in the course of their relationship," he added. The judge went on to say the court had heard that McHugh had allegedly broken Arnold's arm by holding it on the bottom of a stairway and stamping on it. "One can only imagine the pain and terror Ms Arnold was suffering in the course of that relationship," he said. Advertisement Mr Justice McGrath said McHugh had also made threats against Arnold's children and behaved in a "monstrous fashion" towards her in their relationship. There was little doubt, he said, that Arnold was in fear of him and what might happen to her children at his hands. Sentencing Passing sentence today, Mr Justice McGrath said he had been provided with a book of mitigation on behalf of the defendant. Referring to a letter from Arnold, the judge said he accepted it was a genuine expression of remorse on her part, where she said she wished she had acted differently or recognised the warning signs from McHugh. The judge said Arnold also outlined in her letter that she didn't expect forgiveness but wanted the Thompson family to know she was truly sorry for their loss and would never forget the consequences of that day. Advertisement Mr Justice McGrath pointed out that Arnold's daughter had also written a letter to the court, where she called the defendant a devoted mother and said she was "the glue that holds the family together". Arnold's daughter, he said, had asked for a second chance for her mother, whom she called a victim of domestic abuse, which she had tried to hide from their family. The judge also mentioned a letter from Arnold's mother, who said her daughter was under the control of the "monster" Brian McHugh and had feared for her life and the lives of her children. He said a psychologist's report had set out how Arnold was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and was in a number of "not ideal" relationships in the past. The psychologist, he said, had included in his report how Arnold denied having any knowledge that McHugh was going to commit a murder prior to the event and denied having any knowledge of him committing the murder until the trial. Mr Justice McGrath said he had some difficulty accepting this given the text messages exchanged between the couple. Evidence was given in Arnold's trial that text messages sent to McHugh's phone from a number linked to the defendant on June 18th and 19th 2022 - over a month after Ms Thompson was found dead in her home - read "I could of been like Lisa today strangle n stab". Other text messages sent from Arnold to McHugh in June 2022 included her saying: "Murder Lisa n al" and "Move the knife did u" as well as "Ur runners n the knife". A senior investigating officer had told the jury that details of the ligature and strangulation of Ms Thompson had not been released into the public domain in June 2022. The judge said today that Arnold had not fully come to terms with her role in this matter. Again, he said, the psychologist spoke about the fear Arnold had for her children when McHugh threatened their lives with increased frequency and how she had complied with him to keep him away from her home. The judge said Arnold had provided "a considerable degree of assistance" by her presence at Sandyhill Gardens when she was the driver of the getaway car. Other assistance included her and McHugh going to the Applegreen station and disposing of items taken from the deceased's house. The judge also said the defendant had also provided assistance when she and McHugh went to the Clayton Hotel in the aftermath and spent 36 hours with him. The judge said Arnold's prospects for future employment had been considerably reduced, with no chance of employment in any public sector job. Arnold's defence counsel, Mr Patrick Gageby SC, told her sentence hearing last month that his client had since resigned from her State job and is the sole financial support for her three children. The judge said Arnold has some insight into the matter and he had been told she would not be appealing the verdict. He said that were it established that Arnold had assisted knowing a murder was to take place, the headline sentence would have been six years. However, he said he would set the headline sentence at five years to take into account her barrister's submission that the jury had not inevitably concluded that Arnold had been aware of the murder. Referring to the two victim impact statements read to the court by the deceased's sister Ashley Duckett, Mr Justice McGrath said Ms Duckett had referred to the devastating impact which the loss of Ms Thompson has had on her life and had also noted the absence of any remorse from both defendants "as adding to their pain". Mitigation The judge noted there was "significant mitigation" in the case, including that Arnold was a middle-aged woman of good character, an excellent mother who provided fully for her children and was a hard worker. "Whilst not fully accepting the part she played in the matter she has expressed remorse and I accept that's genuine," he added. Having considered mitigation, the judge reduced the headline sentence of five years to three years. He said the psychologist had recommended Arnold attend therapy to work on several issues and that a period of suspension on certain terms would be of use to her. The judge sentenced Arnold to three years imprisonment with the final year suspended on both counts. The sentences are to run concurrently. Arnold has one previous conviction from 2022 for attempting to drive under the influence of drugs. She received a fine and was disqualified from driving for 18 months for this offence. Evidence was heard at McHugh's trial that Ms Thompson was dealing prescription drugs from her home, with gardaí who searched the house finding thousands of tablets worth nearly €50,000 hidden in the attic. Ireland Wicklow council paid €613,000 for beach land as it... Read More The trial was told that Ms Thompson and McHugh had a "bit of a fling" in the year before she died. Deirdre Arnold, with an address at Briarfield Grove, Kilbarrack, Dublin 5, was charged that on a date between May 9th 2022 and May 10th 2022, both dates inclusive, at a location within the State, did without reasonable excuse an act with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of Brian McHugh, a person who had committed an arrestable offence, namely murder, whilst knowing or believing Brian McHugh to be guilty of the offence or of some other arrestable offence. Arnold was also charged that on a date between May 9th, 2022, and May 10th, 2022, both dates inclusive, at a location within the State, acted or embarked upon a course of conduct which had a tendency to and was intended to pervert the course of public justice. She had pleaded not guilty to the two counts.
The Irish Sun
02-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Dayle Rooney signs new Bohemians deal as winger eyes ‘special' future at Dalymount Park
DAYLE ROONEY has been rewarded with a new deal by Bohemians. The winger's current contract was due to expire at the end of this season but that has been extended by a further two years. Advertisement 2 Dayle Rooney of Bohemians has penned an extension with the Dublin club 2 Rooney has put pen to paper on a new two year contract with the LOI giants The Ballymun man has a goal involvement ratio of one in every two games, with 12 goals and 19 assists from his 62 appearances for Boss Alan Reynolds said: 'You can see in Dayle's face how much he loves it here and how much he loves playing in Dalymount Park. 'He never stops working hard to improve his game either, and we feel that he is getting better and better every week. 'He has a real hunger to win trophies with Bohs, so we are delighted that has committed to the club. Advertisement Most read in Football "He has bought into everything we are working towards, can see what we're trying to build and we feel that he is going to be a big part of that.' Rooney spent seven years at And the former roofer said: 'I'm over the moon to re-sign. We are a close group, we're driving each other on and we feel we are building towards something special. 'We've given ourselves a good platform but we all want to kick on now and build on that. Advertisement Most read in Football Live Blog 'We've had some special nights this year and we want more of them. "The way the fans have got right behind us over the past few months has been really special and there's nowhere else I'd want to be than playing with Bohs in Dalyer.' Phil Foden's classy gesture to help boxing pal and childhood fishing rival Niall Brown achieve his ring dream
BreakingNews.ie
28-06-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Pedestrian (20s) dies following collision in Ballymun
A pedestrian has died following an incident involving a car in Dublin in the early hours of Saturday morning. At approximately 4:55am, gardaí and emergency services were alerted to a road traffic incident involving a car and a pedestrian in Balbutcher Lane in Ballymun. Advertisement The pedestrian, a man aged in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries have been reported at this time, gardai said. The road is closed for technical examination by forensic collision investigators, with local diversions in place. Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact them. Advertisement Any road users or pedestrians who were in the vicinity of the Balbutcher Lane and Balcurris Park areas of Ballymun, between 4am and 5am, and have camera footage, including dashcam, are asked to make this available to investigating gardai. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ballymun Garda Station at (01) 6664400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.
