A full-scale investigation has begun into yesterday's Aer Lingus training flight Viscount crash in which the crew of three died 46 minutes after take-off from Dublin Airport. The 10-yearold, four-engine, 40-seater aircraft which cost �400,000, was one of a batch of nine bought by the Irish airline in February 1966, from KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) for its crosschannel air fleet. The model, built by the British Airways Corporation, went out of production in 1964.

According to witnesses the plane nose-dived into a 10acre wheat field at Ballymadun, two miles north of Ashbourne, Co Meath, tumbled over on its back and burst into flames. Those killed were the plane's only occupants: Training Officer Captain Hugh O'Keeffe (37), Offington Park, Sutton, Co Dublin; Cadet Rory Liam de Paor (20), Home Farm Rd, Dublin, and Cadet John T G Kavanagh (19), Falcarragh Rd, Whitehall, Dublin. An Aer Lingus spokesman said last night: "There is no evidence at present available to us to indicate that the aircraft suffered mechanical trouble in flight. The aircraft had been cleared to fly between 15,000 and 10,000 feet over North Co Dublin and Co Meath and was presumably carrying out normal training drills and manoeuvres." A tape recording of the plane's flight had been examined and there was no evidence of a distress call having been made, he added. An investigation was under way within hours of the crash, while firemen with electric cutters sliced their way through the wreckage to locate the bodies. . . The Viscount, the St Cathal, had taken off at 7.30am on a routine training flight.

Visibility was not good. It was seen flying low over the Dublin-Meath border, but this did not attract undue attention, as training flights do not necessarily have to conform to normal flying patterns. Farmers tending stock in the area heard the aircraft's engines splutter, accelerate, and then stop.

There was a deafening noise as the plane hit the ground.

This was followed by a series of staccato explosions, which sent flames and a black pall of smoke 30 feet into the air.

Those who were first to the scene found the upturned burst fuselage a complete inferno. The four engines were embedded in the field, and the only intact portion was the craft's tail-fin.

Freeman's Journal
24 June 1800

Maurice Mooney was indicted for the murder of his wife. Mary Connelly deposed to the circumstances of this atrocious crime. Prisoner and his wife lodged in the same room with witness, who was awoke by ten o'clock by groans; went to the bed, found the prisoner bleeding, and the deceased lying on her face motionless.

The prisoner had murdered his wife, and cut his own throat; he seemed insane and insensible. She, witness, suspected that jealousy was the cause of the murder; prisoner was taken away to the hospital, and thence to the gaol in a state of stupor.

The examination produced few other circumstances of moment, except that prisoner had gone to witness's cupboard for some tobacco, and took therefrom a razor; with which instrument the deed as committed. This evidence was corroborated by her husband, and Mr Gregg, the Keeper of Newgate, who deposed to the insanity of the prisoner. The Jury retired and brought in a verdict of murder under mental derangement, but Mr Justice Daly observed that the verdict was tantamount to an acquittal.

He was one of the meanest and most miserable looking fellows we ever saw.