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Third time lucky: Garda who found Elaine O'Hara's keys shows persistence pays off

Garda James O’Donoghue says any officer would have acted the same way.

Video TheJournal.ie / YouTube

THE GARDA WHO found Elaine O’Hara’s keys in Vartry reservoir has said that any garda would have done exactly as he did.

Garda James O’Donoghue visited the reservoir the day after angler Willie Fegan found clothing, handcuffs, shackles and a number of other adult items in the water.

Garda O’Donoghue went down to the reservoir three times over the next five days in September 2013.

His first two visits yielded no success. On the third day though, better weather conditions allowed him spot the keys in the water.

He entered the reservoir and retrieved the keys. Attached to them was a Dunnes Stores loyalty card. O’Donoghue brought that to the retailer.

The next day, they returned with the name Elaine O’Hara, a name matching the childcare worker who’d been missing for a year.

“I contacted my supervisors to inform them of my find. I would like to say of the find that the nature of the items meant that any garda who came into the possession of these items would have acted in the same manner.”

Gardaí who investigated O’Hara’s murder described their work as “meticulous, extensive and co-coordinated”.

The 45-day trial of the 41-year-old architect heard often gruesome evidence of communication between the victim and the man who killed her.

Text messages between the two demonstrated a relationship that was sexual in nature and was marked by manipulation of O’Hara by Dwyer.

The investigation in numbers

  • 619 separate lines of inquiry in 3 countries. Ireland, the US and the UK.
  • 511 reports filed.
  • 488 persons interviewed.
  • 788 statements obtained.
  • 5,300 hours of CCTV.
  • 2,620 text messages retrieved and analysed.
  • 1,275 exhibits used.
  • 20 full-time gardaí on the investigating team.

Superintendent John Hand of Blackrock Garda Station:

Video TheJournal.ie / YouTube

Chief Superindent Diarmuid O’Sullivan says today’s conviction “marks a significant step for the family in coming to terms with Elaine’s death”. 

Video TheJournal.ie / YouTube

Detective Superintendent says that An Garda Síochána’s technology and communication teams were vital to the conviction of Graham Dwyer.

Video TheJournal.ie / YouTube

Read: Elaine O’Hara’s family: ‘Justice has been served but we still suffer greatly’ >

Read: The five key locations of a deadly affair >

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78 Comments
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    Mute Barry O'Neill
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    Oct 16th 2014, 10:11 AM

    They will continue to suffer while all of the smaller breweries keep popping up and making a superior product. They need to either start buying them up or move towards making better beer. People sitting at home on a Friday night with a six pack will mostly go for craft beer now as opposed to the watery stuff we drank for years.

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    Mute James Keane
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    Oct 16th 2014, 11:40 AM

    Spot on Barry. Although I hope they focus on their own offerings as oppose to buying the smaller craft brewers out.
    Franciscan Wells doesn’t taste te same since they were bought out by Coors!

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    Mute glenoir
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    Oct 16th 2014, 10:42 AM

    Guinness is no longer owned by Guinness but by diageo who have got rid of half the staff and treated them awfully

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    Mute Julia85
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    Oct 16th 2014, 1:26 PM

    I have several family members in Guinness and they are definitely not treated appallingly.

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    Mute Frank M Cgrath
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    Oct 16th 2014, 10:05 AM

    Ill drink to that

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    Mute Gearóid Ó Murchadha
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    Oct 16th 2014, 10:09 AM

    Surely if you’re making billions in profit 1.5% isn’t a big deal?

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    Mute Aindriú de Domhain
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    Oct 16th 2014, 2:04 PM

    Not that I’d wish to see people lose jobs, especially in Ireland, but I have little sympathy for Diageo.

    I’ve seen them and their marketing up close and personal, and they way they try to ingratiate themselves with Irish identity and buy a good name for themselves by associating with charities. The absolute cynicism of Arthur’s Day and the complete disinterest they had in the public chaos it caused was what really turned me away from them and their products. It’s profit at all costs there, and then maybe try to have a fig leaf of corporate social responsibility, if it suits.

    If they actually invested in their products instead of churning out low quality drinks like they do, then they wouldn’t be in this mess.

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    Mute Eddie Sheridan
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    Oct 16th 2014, 5:36 PM

    I run a pub in upstate NY and it will not be long before sales drop here in the states too. Overpriced and dropped sponsorship of all things Irish. They think they can coast on the brand name. Sad really.

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    Mute John Heffernan
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    Oct 16th 2014, 4:05 PM

    Craft Beers, are on the way up, Erdinger, sweet Jesus it’s good….

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    Mute Endeus™
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    Oct 16th 2014, 10:47 AM

    The Dropping well…..

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