On the morning of 29th December 1958, a priest was called to the Central Hotel in Kilmallock, County Limerick. He had been sent for by a fifteen year old boy. His mother lay in the kitchen, gravely injured.

Joan O’Rourke was 40 years old. She was a businesswoman, a mother of three, and a well known figure in her local community. She ran one of the busiest hotels in the town.

But what was happening inside the Central Hotel was not hidden. Staff, neighbours, and people in the town had seen and heard enough over the years to know that life behind those doors was far from stable.

In this episode, I take you through the final days and final hours of Joan’s life, the evidence given by dozens of witnesses, and the events of that night that would leave three children without a mother.

This is a case that shocked Ireland at the time. It is also a case that raises difficult questions about what was seen, what was known, and what was not acted on.

This episode contains discussion of domestic violence.

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If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence:

• Ireland: Women's Aid 1800 341 900

• Northern Ireland: Domestic & Sexual Abuse Helpline 0808 802 3347

• Men's Support: AMEN 046 902 3718 (ROI) / 028 9024 1929 (NI)

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