Gardaí in Kilkenny Seek Assistance with 33 Year Old Murder

Marie Tierney was murdered between 21st October 1984 to 21st December 1984. Her body was found on the 21st of December by a man out waking on the Bleach Road, Kilkenny in a ditch. She was just 34 years old when she died, she was married with 2 children aged 12 and 13. She and her husband ran a petrol station at Clintstown, Co Kilkenny. Her body was found 7.8km from her home. Her car was found 11km from her home, while she was found 2km from her abandoned car.

Marie Tierney (34) was reported missing on the 22nd October 1984 by her husband, she left their house at Clintstown, Jenkinstown, Kilkenny on the evening of the 21st October 1984 at approximately 10.30pm in the family car, Renault 18 Estate Registration number 35-HIP and had not returned.

Investigation by Gardaí located the Tierney’s family car at Newpark Fenn, Kilkenny later that day the 22nd October 1984. Statements from a number of witnesses put the car abandoned in Newpark at approximately 11pm on the 21st October.

A number of searches were conducted by Gardaí and members of Marie Tierney’s family and friends but Marie could not be located. On the 21st December 1984 the body of Marie Tierney was located by a male out walking on the Bleach Road, Kilkenny in a ditch.

A post Mortem examination was conducted and a murder investigation commenced.

To date, over 500 lines of investigative enquiry have been opened and over 200 witness statements have been recorded. This murder investigation is still very much ongoing and will remain so. There have been no arrests to date for the murder of Marie Tierney.

Gardaí will be speaking to everyone who made statements in relation to the investigation and are appealing to any person who may have information into the death of Marie Tierney to come forward.

A number of persons previously came forwarded to Gardaí who had observed the Tierney family car parked at Newpark Fenn, Kilkenny on the 21st October 1984. Gardaí are again appealing for these persons to come forwarded and any other person who observed the Tierney family car, Renault Estate Registration number 35-HIP at Newpark Fenn, Kilkenny on the night of the 21st October 1984 and who had not previously come forwarded with information.

Gardaí are appealing to any member of the public who may have seen any person(s) walking or cycling at or near Newpark/Newpark Fenn, Kilkenny on the night of the 21st October 1984. Gardaí are appealing to any member of the public who may have seen any person(s) walking or cycling or any vehicles including the Renault 18 35-HIP on or near the Bleach Road, Kilkenny on the night of the 21st October 1984.

Gardaí are appealing to people who have not yet made themselves known to Gardaí or who, for whatever reason, were unable to make themselves available to Gardaí at the material time. With the passage of time relationships may have changed or circumstances may have changed which may enable persons to come forward with information to Gardaí that they may not have done previously. Time may have given context to something they felt was unimportant at the time but may be of assistance to the investigation.

We have previously had great assistance from the public in Kilkenny in relation to similar serious crimes. We wish to thank the community at large and the media for their assistance then and we again seek their help in this case. Whilst over 30 years have elapsed there may be people who have information who for whatever reason have not come forward yet. We would ask those people to please make contact with An Garda Siochana in Kilkenny on 0567775000 or on the Garda Confidential Line 1800666111.

Superintendent Derek Hughes will be available for phone interviews between 10am and 12 midday on Thursday the 9th of November 2017.