Murder victim may have known assailant gardai

Gardai continuing a murder investigation into the death of a widow, Mrs Nancy Nolan (81), on the Galway-Roscommon border this week have not ruled out the possibility that she knew her assailant.

Mrs Nolan, a retired national school teacher and mother of six, was found dead inside the front door of her home in Ballaghlea, near Ballygar, early on Wednesday morning.

Post-mortem results indicated that she sustained serious head and other injuries, and a fullscale murder hunt has been initiated by Roscommon gardai under the direction of Chief Supt Bill Fennell.

There was no sign of a break-in at the two-storey house, close to the school where Mrs Nolan and her late husband, Tom, both worked.

Mr Nolan, who died some years ago, was a principal at the school, and the couple would have taught many people in the area. Mrs Nolan was very active in community affairs.

The alert was raised by a neighbour after one of Mrs Nolan's daughters had been unable to reach her mother by phone. The funeral is today.

The national president of Muintir na Tire, Mr Jim Quigley, has expressed concern that the media might use the situation to create a new wave of fear among elderly people living alone.

"This is nothing like 1984, one of the worst years for attacks on the elderly, and although recent reported crime statistics for Galway and Roscommon have risen, the Roscommon area has one of the lowest incidences of crime nationwide," Mr Quigley said.

Statistics for 1984 recorded 432 attacks where the injured party was 65 years or older and living alone in a remote area. However, following determined action by the Garda Siochana, the number of attacks has decreased significantly in recent years.

A community alert scheme run nationwide by Muintir na Tire had proved to be successful since it was established 15 years ago, and recent measures in the Budget had improved the situation for the elderly, Mr Quigley said.

Chief Supt Fennell, of Roscommon Garda station, said there had been a very good public response so far to the investigation into Mrs Nolan's death.

"We are trying to piece together her last movements, so any information is of great help to us," he said.

Gardai are interested in hearing from anyone who might have seen Mrs Nolan between 2 p.m. on Monday of this week and late on Tuesday night to contact them.

An incident room has been set up to handle the investigation at Roscommon Garda station. The phone number is (0903) 38371.