A senior garda centrally involved in some of the most high profile murder investigations in Cork has died.
Supt Martin Dorney (51) from Waterfall near Ballincollg passed away this morning after losing his fight against skin cancer which he had been treated for over a number of years.
Supt Dorney was one of the principal officers involved in the investigation into the disappearance and killing of Midleton schoolboy, Robert Holohan in 2005.
Later while stationed in Cobh, he led the investigation into the disappearance and murder of local girl, Sheola Keaney who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend Thomas Kennedy in 2006.
Last year, Supt Dorney made a complaint to the medical council over the failure of his GP, Dr Pat Lee from Ballincollig, to send him for further investigate surgery after he developed a mole.
An Irish Medical Council hearing heard that Supt Dorney became concerned about a change in the appearance of the mole and attended Dr Lee who excised it and sent it for analysis.
A report back from CUH indicated the mole was not malignant but recommended that Supt Dorney attend at the hospital for a wider local incision procedure.
Dr Lee admitted he skimmed the report following his return from a holiday and missed the recommendations laid out by the hospital. He later told Supt Dorney that the mole was benign.
When Supt Dorney was found to have skin cancer six years later, his doctor re-read the initial report, realised the error and tried to conceal the truth from his patient, the hearing was told.
Supt Dorney told the Medical Council fitness to practise inquiry that he was devastated when doctors informed him of his cancer diagnosis in 2009.
He would have had a 95 per cent chance of survival if he had been sent for further investigative tests in 2003. Dr Lee was suspended by the medical council for three months.
A native of of Skehanarinky outside Mitchelstown, Supt Dorney played football with Cork at various grades. He is survived by his wife Pauline, dughters Ashley and Niamh and son Ciarán.
