The Parish priest of Clara the late Fr. Deignan was allegedly the first person to be called to Kilcoursey House, shortly after 1 am, the night my uncle was killed. It was  3:15 am before he notified the Gardai about my uncles death. At the Inquest a year later he declined to give evidence saying he was only doing his job and could not help the Inquiry.

In the back benches set aside for Legal teams, Mr. Thomas Menton produced a legal report on a case known as COOK V CARROLL. This case set a precedent that a a priest could claim privilege in refusing to disclose what was said to him in Confession. In this case all conversations that had taken place with people over a period of two hours between 1 am and 3 am .

When Deignan did report the death to the local Sergeant he asked was there any way it could be kept quiet.