Lines of Enquiry

On 4 January 2005, 11-year-old Robert Holohan left his home to play on his bike in Midleton, Co Cork and never returned. What began as a desperate search for a missing boy quickly became one of the most emotionally charged murder investigations Ireland had ever witnessed. Thousands turned out to look for him. Gardaí deployed every resource available. For a week, the country hoped against hope. Then came the devastating discovery: Robert had been killed. The search for the young boy soon became a hunt for a killer. The eventual truth would prove to be more devastating than anyone had imagined.

We now have an instagram page, we would appreciate if you could please follow the podcast here: https://www.instagram.com/linesofenquirypodcast/

Presented by John Sweetman

Created by Darren Cleary

Episode Written by Darren Cleary and John Sweetman

Script Edited by Eoin Brennan

Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan

Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons

Produced by Siobhan Walsh

Assistant Produced by Siobhan Maguire

Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh

Audio Editing support by Ed Smith

Marketing support by Bríd Walsh and Roisin Reilly

Social support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree

Artwork and graphics by Eric Rowntree

A sinister, disturbing handwritten letter arrives into Garda HQ. It has been sent anonymously to a school in the midlands. There are 23 pages, promising terrible crimes to come, and detailing the writer’s twisted plans to abduct and kill teenage girls.

Soon after, two more arrive – again sent to schools across the Irish midlands. Gardai then realise this is not their first encounter with the anonymous writer, as they discover records of a strange hideout found in the woods in Offaly many years ago. More letters arrive, sent to Garda stations and found by members of the public.

Fear spreads as the writer goes further and begins naming potential targets, all teenage girls at a local Offaly school. Gardai now face a race against time to find him, before he can put his evil plans into action.

As part of our launch week of Lines of Enquiry we are releasing two episodes this week, including this one. From next week we will release weekly, every Tuesday morning.

We now have an instagram page, we would appreciate if you could please follow the podcast here: https://www.instagram.com/linesofenquirypodcast/

Presented by John Sweetman

Created by Darren Cleary

Episode Written by Eoin Brennan, Siobhan Maguire and John Sweetman

Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan

Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons

Produced by Siobhan Walsh

Assistant Produced by Siobhan Maguire

Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh

Episode Edited by Eoin Brennan

Editing support by Ed Smith

Marketing support by Bríd Walsh and Roisin Reilly

Social support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree

Artwork and graphics by Eric Rowntree

When 27-year-old Mary Gough was found dead in her home in Balbriggan in 2001, it looked like a tragic accident. Gardaí were called to what appeared to be a fall down the stairs.

But as investigators examined the scene, small details began to raise doubts, marks that didn’t fit, timelines that didn’t match, and a story that started to change.

In this episode, former Garda forensic detective John Sweetman revisits the case, piece by piece, to uncover how investigators learned that what looked like a household accident was, in fact, something far more sinister.

We now have an instagram page, we would appreciate if you could please follow the podcast here: https://www.instagram.com/linesofenquirypodcast/

Presented by John Sweetman

Created by Darren Cleary

Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan

Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons

Produced by Siobhan Walsh

Assistant Produced by Siobhan Maguire

Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh

Editing support by Ed Smith

Marketing support by Bríd Walsh and Roisin Reilly

Social support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree

Episode Written by Darren Cleary

Episode Edited by Eoin Brennan

Artwork and graphics by Eric Rowntree

Former Garda detective and expert crime scene investigator, John Sweetman presents Lines of Enquiry, a GoLoud Original true-crime podcast examining some of Ireland’s most compelling crimes, uncovering how evidence, chance, and persistence can bring answers, and sometimes only more questions.