Shadows of Éire | An Irish True Crime Podcast
A weekly Irish true crime podcast that investigates Ireland's most significant crimes, from the Kinahan-Hutch feud to historical mysteries. It aims to present facts and context without tabloid sensationalism, focusing on the human impact of each case. The show also features a bonus series about recipients of the Garda Scott Medal for bravery. It is an independent production.
Episodes
20. From the Liberties to the Abyss: The Radicalisation of Terence Kelly.
How does a Roman Catholic altar boy from working-class Dublin, trained to save lives as an intensive care nurse, become a suicide bomber for ISIS? In this episode, we trace the bizarre, dark, and highly public trajectory of Terence Kelly (aka "Taliban Terry"). From a Saudi bootlegging ring to a rural cottage in Longford, we explore the domestic isolation and digital radicalization that led a brill
19. The Voluntary Life Sentence: Ireland’s Longest-Serving Prisoner
In April 1964, a quiet farmhouse in County Cork became the scene of a devastating crime that shocked the local community. Local man George Applebe was brutally murdered. What followed was a complex legal saga governed by newly passed laws, leading to a trial—and an extraordinary life sentence—that would span nearly six decades. Listen to the full story on Shadows of Èire.
18. Blood on the Tarmac: The murder of Barry Maguire and the origin story of Derek “Delboy” Hutch
This episode explores the tragic 2007 St. Stephen’s Night killing of Barry Maguire in Ashbourne, Co. Meath, detailing how a fatal street altercation escalated into localized pipe-bomb intimidation and entangled the perpetrators—specifically Derek "Del Boy" Hutch and Alan Donohue—within the broader landscape of Irish crime history.--------------------------------------------------🔒 EXCLUSIVE LISTEN
17. The Open Door: Ireland vs The KGB
For decades, Ireland told itself a comfortable lie: that neutrality was a shield, and the shadows of global espionage would simply pass the island by. But from the aisles of a suburban Dublin shopping center to the historic quadrangles of Trinity College, the Kremlin saw something else entirely—an open door. Tonight, we trace forty years of cold-war stings, deep-cover "Illegals," and the modern po
16. The Beekeeper and the Bitcoin: The Clifton Collins Story
In this episode, we unpack one of the most extraordinary stories in cryptocurrency history: the case of Clifton Collins and his lost Bitcoin fortune. Between 2011 and 2012, former postman Clifton Collins purchased 6,000 Bitcoins using proceeds from cannabis cultivation. To secure his growing digital wealth, he distributed the funds across 12 separate wallet accounts (500 BTC each) and printed the
15. A Child in the Dark: Remembering Daniel McAnaspie
Daniel McAnaspie was a vulnerable 17-year-old boy in the care of the Irish state who went missing from Finglas, Dublin, in the early hours of January 1, 2010. After a grueling five-month search, his remains were discovered by a farmer in a drainage ditch in Tolka Valley Park, Blanchardstown.
14. The Cold Geography of a Hitman: The life of Imre Arakas (Aka The Butcher)
In April 2017, armed Gardaí smashed through the door of a quiet safehouse in West Dublin. Sitting on a couch inside was an elderly, bearded man who looked like an eccentric geography teacher. In reality, he was Imre "The Butcher" Arakas—one of Europe’s most elusive and lethal contract killers, flown into Ireland by the Kinahan Cartel to execute a high-profile target with a single, silenced shot to
13. Blueprints of a Would-Be Serial Killer: The chilling story of “Stephanie Smith”
In 2017, an ordinary afternoon in Dublin’s Santry turned into a waking nightmare when a teenager attempted to pull a toddler into the undergrowth. When police searched her Ballymun bedroom, they didn't just find a troubled adolescent—they uncovered a chillingly meticulous, step-by-step operational manual for murder. Host Tim Warburton details the case of Stephanie Smith, a highly intelligent chame
The Loughglynn Shootout | The Scott Medal Series
On July 7, 1980, an armed bank heist in Ballaghaderreen ended in a fatal collision and gun battle at Shannon's Cross. Explore the tragedy of Detective Garda John Morley and Garda Henry Byrne, the Gold Scott Medals awarded for their ultimate sacrifice, and the massive manhunt that followed.--------------------------------------------------🔒 EXCLUSIVE LISTENER OFFER:Protect your digital privacy and
12. Who Cares About Tommy Hayden? | The Madonna House Abduction of a nine year old boy
In September 1977, nine-year-old Tommy Hayden vanished from state care in Ireland. His captor was John Dwyer, a newly hired trainee care worker at Madonna House who had already been warned about his unhealthy fixation on the young boy.What followed was a dark, 17-day journey across England and Scotland. Posing as father and son, Dwyer moved Tommy through transit hubs and hotels until their arrival
11. Lying Eyes, The Dark Web and Dead Money
In 2006, a wealthy Clare property developer’s family received a chilling visit — a self-proclaimed hitman, holding proof of a murder contract taken out on all three of them. The trail leads through an anonymous dark web forum, a Las Vegas con artist posing as an assassin, a sting operation in the Irish countryside, and a digital fingerprint that couldn’t be erased. But even after an arrest, one qu
Iron Blood – The Declan Murray Story | The Scott Medal Series
When dense, lethal smoke filled a Dublin apartment building, one off-duty forklift operator turned frontline officer didn't wait for backup. Wrapping a wet rag around his face, Garda Thomas Declan Murray crawled on his belly into the blackness to pull a dying man from the flames. Years later, facing a desperate, armed raider in a dark room, Murray took a heavy handgun straight to the skull—and kep
10. The Ice House Murder: Who Ordered Irene White’s Killing?
In 2005, Irene White was murdered in her own kitchen in Dundalk — stabbed 34 times in an attack first mistaken for a burglary gone wrong. It would take 14 years, two confessions, and a phone call from Australia to uncover the truth: this wasn’t random. It was a contract killing. Doorman Anthony Lambe and security firm owner Niall Power are both serving life sentences — but the man they say ordered
9. The Viewing Point: The Murder of Nora Sheehan and the Confession No One Heard
Cork, 1981: Nora Sheehan disappears after a night wandering her own neighbourhood, and is found six days later in a West Cork wood. Gardaí identify a suspect within days, charge him with murder — and then lose the case entirely when their key witness dies before trial. Noel Long walks free for 41 years. This episode traces the collapse of the original 1981 investigation, the DNA breakthrough that
8. Down the Rabbit Hole: The Murder of John Horgan and the curious motive
In June 1973, seven-year-old John Horgan disappeared from his home in Palmerstown, Dublin. What began as a search for a missing child would end with a horrifying discovery in the attic of a neighbouring house.The teenager responsible, Lorcan Bale, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to John’s murder, receiving a life sentence. But because there was no contested murder trial, many questions surro
7. The Green Tureen: The Horrific Demise of Hazel Mullen
In 1963 a young girl, Hazel Mullen, was murdered and dismembered in The Green Tureen restaurant in Dublin. Her 22 year old boyfriend Shan Mohangi is a student in the Royal College of Surgeons and quickly becomes the main suspect. But will her mother get the justice she deserves for the murder of her 16 year old daughter? Dive into this episode of Shadows of Éire to find out. ----------------------
6. A Clear and Present Danger: The Story of Barbie Kardashian
In this episode Shadows of Éire unravels the harrowing case of Barbie Kardashian. From an unprovoked violent assault on a care worker to explicit threats against her own family, this case forced Ireland’s legal, judicial, and correctional systems into uncharted territory. We examine the garda investigation, the Limerick Circuit Court trials under Judge Tom O’Donnell, the fierce public debate surro
Beyond the Call of Duty | The Scott Medal Series
At quarter past three on a freezing December morning, a call comes over the radio: people are in the River Liffey, swept away by a fast, dark current. Among the responding officers on patrol is Colm Finnerty—a 23-year-old student garda whose only official job that night is to watch and learn.When the situation at the quay wall rapidly deteriorates, Finnerty is forced to make a split-second decisio
5. The Great Mountjoy Escape: The Hijack, The Helicopter and The Manhunt
On Halloween 1973, the IRA pulled off one of the most audacious prison breaks in history, landing a hijacked helicopter inside the tiny exercise yard of Dublin’s Mountjoy Prison.In this episode, we dive deep into the real story behind the "Up and Away" escape. We separate myth from reality as we explore the mysterious "Mr. Leonard"—the man in the white suit who chartered the flight at gunpoint—and
4. The Invisible Empire: Chinese Triads on Irish Soil
When Dublin detectives raided a secure flat in Rathmines following a public street execution, they expected a routine gang hideout. Instead, they uncovered a shadow fortress of hostage rooms, extortion ledgers, and ancient blood oaths. This week, Shadows of Éire investigates the terrifying machinery of the Wo Shing Wo and 14K syndicates in Ireland, and the unique legal battle the state fought to b
The First Medal | The Scott Medal Series
Broadford, County Clare, 1923. A guard barely a year into the job is stopped on a lonely road by two armed men. Robbery turns to attempted murder — marched toward a laneway, a gun pressed to his chest, given five minutes to live. What he does next earns him a place in history: the first-ever recipient of the garda’s highest bravery honour, the Scott Medal. Part of our Scott Medal Series. ---------
3. The Dollymount Arm: The chilling story of James Nolan
In February 2011, the quiet sands of Dollymount Strand in Dublin returned a horrific secret: a human arm, cleanly severed, with its identifying tattoos deliberately sliced away. Through international DNA tracking, the limb was identified as belonging to James Nolan, a notorious convicted predator from Finglas who had vanished shortly after his release from prison. For six agonizing years, the cas
2. Slaughter on the Sea: The Story of Captain Stewart and The Mary Russell
What happens when the one person legally sworn to protect you on the open sea becomes your greatest threat? This week, Shadows of Éire unpacks the horrifying 1828 tragedy of the Mary Russell. Driven mad by sleep deprivation and religious monomania, Captain William Stewart became convinced his loyal Irish crew was plotting a mutiny. Using his absolute authority, he trapped, bound, and slaughtered s
The Gallant Rescue at Castletownbere | The Scott Medal Series
Armed only with a tiny wooden punt and a small outboard motor, two West Cork officers ventured into pitch-black, tempestuous waters to save five trapped neighbors from a splintering ship. Explore the dramatic narrative of two rural officers who risked everything against the raw, terrifying power of nature
1. Four Winters in the Earth: The Kidnapping of Mariora Rostas
In January 2008, 18-year-old Marioara Rostas vanished from a rain-slicked Dublin city center street corner in broad daylight. For four agonizing winters, her family was met with structural apathy and a wall of gangland silence, completely unaware that her body lay hidden in a shallow grave high up in the frozen peaks of the Wicklow mountains.Keywords: True Crime Ireland, Marioara Rostas, Alan Wils
