BY OLIVIA KELLEHER

THE jury has been discharged in the trial of two people charged with the murder of father-of-four Michael Foley, who was found dead at his home in Macroom in February of last year.

Daniel Hourigan of and Linda O’Flynn, both aged 32, went on trial earlier this month at the Central Criminal Court in Cork charged with the murder of the 61-year-old. Both denied the murder of Mr Foley at his home between January 31st and February 1st, 2024.

Mr Hourigan is originally from Farranree on the northside of Cork city. Ms O’Flynn previously resided at Hollyhill in the city. The jury heard eight days of evidence in the case.

Following legal argument on Tuesday, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford discharged the jury of nine men and three women. She thanked them for their service and excused them from jury duty for a period of five years.

Ms Justice Lankford said that their participation was ‘extremely helpful and necessary’. She added: ‘As I indicated to you yesterday there was a legal argument to be had of a significant nature. For legal reasons I am going to discharge you now as a jury.

‘These cases are difficult. You have been engaged on this. I am going to excuse you from jury service for five years.’

Michael Foley was found in a pool of blood at Annville Housing Complex in Barrett’s Place in Macroom, Co Cork on February 6th, 2024. He was a native of Scartagh in Clonakilty. His requiem mass took place at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Clonakilty with burial following at St Mary’s cemetery in the town. Gardaí launched a murder probe after it was determined that he had suffered a violent death.

His post mortem was carried out at Cork University Hospital by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster.