Murder hunt launched by gardai as woman (81) found dead

Gardai have begun a murder investigation into the death of an elderly woman at her home near Ballygar on the Galway-Roscommon border.

Preliminary post-mortem results into the death of Mrs Nancy Nolan (81) indicate she sustained serious head and other injuries, and a full-scale murder hunt has been initiated by Roscommon gardai under Chief Supt Bill Fennell.

The post-mortem was carried out yesterday afternoon by the deputy State pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, after Mrs Nolan's body was removed to Roscommon County Hospital.

Her body had been discovered lying face down inside the doorway of her home early yesterday morning after gardai were alerted.

Three gardai made the discovery after a neighbour, Mr John Fitzmaurice, had called to Mrs Nolan's house after midnight. He had received a telephone call from one of Mrs Nolan's five daughters in Dublin who was concerned that there was no reply from the house.

Mr Fitzmaurice said the two-storey house was in darkness and there was no answer. As he had spare keys, he was about to open the door when he noticed the post had not been collected. He immediately telephoned Roscommon Garda station. Mr Fitzmaurice described Mrs Nolan as a kind and good neighbour. "The feeling here is one of shock and great sadness."

Mrs Nolan, a mother of six grown children and a former national school teacher, was widowed some 10 years ago. She lived on her own near the school where she had worked, but members of her family visited her regularly. Her husband, Michael, had been a principal of the school. The house, in the townland of Ballaghlea, is on the main Galway-Roscommon road, about two miles on the Galway side of Ballygar village.

Neighbours, who appeared stunned at the news of Mrs Nolan's death, described how popular she was and how active she had been with various voluntary groups. "She was very down to earth, very fit and able," one neighbour said. Mrs Nolan, who retired in 1984, drove into Ballygar every day, and was a contributor to the Angelus, a newsletter published by the Catholic diocese of Elphin.

Initial examinations of the house showed no signs of a breakin, but further work was being carried out by Garda forensic experts yesterday. House-to-house inquiries were also initiated in the Ballaghlea-Newbridge-Ballygar area, and an appeal was made to anyone who might have seen Mrs Nolan between 2 p.m. on Monday and late on Tuesday night to contact the gardai.

The last serious crime in the area was 19 years ago and only a mile from Mrs Nolan's house. A local man, Mr Willie Mannion, was found murdered, and his killer was subsequently convicted. An incident room has been set up to handle the investigation at Roscommon Garda station. The phone number is (0903) 38371.