Former UL Student Elaine Byrne – “What happened to the Gardai who took Joanne Hayes’ false confession?”

By Ryan O’Rourke

A former University of Limerick student has unleashed a series of stinging tweets aimed at the Garda Síochána over the handling of the Kerry Babies scandal.

Elaine Byrne published a series of Tweets, which run under the hashtag #KerryBabies.

They begin with the Tweet “What happened to the Gardai who took Joanne Hayes’ false confession?”

Her first accusation is that “Superintendent John Courtney was promoted to Chief Superintendent (after a period of desk duty).”

Elaine also says that “Courtney was involved in the interrogation of Christy Lynch in 1976. His conviction for murder – based on a false confession – was overturned by the Supreme Court in 1981.”

The Law Lecturer at IT Carlow also claims that “Sergeant Joseph Shelley was promoted to Superintendent (after a period of desk duty.)”

She goes on to say that “Shelly* took early retirement following the publication of the Morris tribunal report into Garda malpractice in Donegal. The Morris report sharply criticised Shelly’s leadership as “prejudiced, tendentious and utterly negligent.”

In another Tweet, Elaine states that “Detective PJ Browne was promoted to Superintendent (after a period of desk duty).”

As well as saying that “#KerryBabies was no obstacle to the advancement of the gardaí involved, it seems.”

Another Tweet reads “Detective Gerry O’Carroll was promoted to Detective Inspector. (after a period of desk duty).

“Four Gardai centrally involved in the #KerryBabies. All ultimately promoted.”

Elaine sums up her tweets by saying; “None of the 4 gardai ever apologised to Joanne Hayes. They were all promoted.”

Spokesperson for An Garda Press Office, Colin Heeney, gave An Focal this reply to Elaine’s comments.

“It is not the policy of An Garda Siochana to comment on named individuals or third party statements,” he said.