LAST UPDATE | 30 Dec 2022

GARDAÍ ARE APPEALING for information in relation to the murder of 39-year-old Sean Poland ahead of the 20th anniversary of his death. 

He was murdered in his home in Blackwater, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare on 31 December 2002.

Sean Poland was out socialising with his partner at the Round House Pub on High Street, Limerick, celebrating New Year’s Eve.

They left the pub just after 11pm and headed home.

When they arrived home, Sean’s partner set a fire in the living room while Sean made some food in the kitchen.

As they were settling in for the night, the doorbell rang. Sean answered the door thinking it was neighbours calling to wish them a Happy New Year.

As Sean opened the front door, four masked and armed raiders rushed through the door.

Two of the raiders ran towards the living room and grabbed Sean’s partner. They ordered her to kneel on the floor and told her to put her hands behind her back. The raiders demanded to know where the money was.

She heard a shot coming from the hallway. The raiders tied her hands together with a cable from the television. They stole a sum of money from her handbag and fled from the house.

Sean’s partner discovered him in the hallway, with a gunshot wound to his stomach. He was not breathing.

An Garda Síochána made appeals for public information at the time and on Crimecall in December 2012.

Ahead of the 20th anniversary of Sean Poland’s murder tomorrow, gardaí are continuing to appeal for information in the case.

They believe a number of people have yet to come forward who may now be in a position to assist in bringing those responsible to justice.

“With the passage of time some person may now be in a position to provide information to investigating gardaí that they could not provide at the time, or maybe some person who did provide information at the time may be now in a position to provide further information,” gardaí said in a statement. 

Anyone with information can contact investigating gardaí at Mayorstone Garda Station 061 456 980, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any garda station.