The polygraph is an investigative tool used by several UK police forces but it is still under-utilised in Ireland. Its use by police in Britain relates mainly to the monitoring of released sex offenders and domestic abusers. However, polygraph examiners in Ireland can be used in the investigation of unsolved murders and other cold cases especially when investigations need new direction.
Ireland when compared to many other countries has a relatively low murder rate. Nevertheless, it also has its fair share of unresolved cases two of which are detailed below:
Moss Moore – murdered 6 November 1958
Half a century ago a 46 year old farmer, Moss Moore, was found dead in a stream ten days after leaving one of his neighbour’s houses. He had set out walking to his house which was around a mile away. However, he never made it home having been attacked en-route.
Eight days before he was found Moore’s friends reported to the Gardai that he had been murdered. They suggested that Dan Foley, a neighbouring farmer, was responsible. They based their suspicions on the fact that Moore and Foley had argued recently over a fence Foley had constructed between their farms. The friends were absolutely convinced Moore had been killed and that Foley was guilty.
As often happens in close knit farming communities, the rumour spread like wildfire and locals boycotted Foley’s farm. The whole community ostracised Foley and stopped buying anything from him. 4 years after the discovery of the body, Foley died. A family member said that the stress of living in an environment where everyone believed he was guilty, together with his struggle to survive, sped on his death. Foley always denied murdering Moore and his family believed him to be innocent. Foley was never charged with the murder.
Had the services of polygraph examiners in Ireland been used at the time they would have been able to establish his innocence or guilt quite quickly. This may have prevented the pillorying Foley experienced and perhaps he would have lived to a much older age. It is strange that Moore’s friends reported to the Gardai that Moore had been murdered, before anyone knew officially that he had been.
As time progressed others could have taken tests, if only to eliminate them from police enquiries. Now, very few people are likely to be alive who know anything about it. So if the few sit lie detector tests then something may emerge that ultimately could resolve the case.
Moore was strangled to death and the case remains a mystery to this day.
Eileen Costello-O’Shaughnessy – murdered 30 November 1997
Eileen Costello-O’Shaughnessy was a Galway taxi driver who was murdered 22 years ago. She had almost finished her shift when she called in to say that she’d picked up a passenger who wanted to go to Claregalway, which is around ten miles from the city of Galway. That was at 20:00 hours.
Nobody heard from her again. The next morning her body was discovered on a country road. She was beaten so badly it caused her skull to shatter. She was only 47 years of age.
Eileen’s taxi had been found just outside Galway at 21:00 hours on the night she disappeared. Copious amounts of blood were found on one of the car seats in the taxi. With 17 miles on the meter, the Gardai concluded that the taxi had travelled the distance to the Tinker’s Lane destination she had called in. They believe she was killed, dumped there and then the murderer drove her taxi back to Galway.
Prior to the murder Eileen’s mother had received a number of telephone calls that she answered but no one spoke. This went on for some weeks. After the murder she received one call from a woman who sobbed that she was sorry.
The case remains unsolved despite a new lead that the Gardai investigated 15 years after the murder.
You can watch a documentary of this murder in the video below:
The role of Polygraph examiners in Ireland
Polygraph examiners in Ireland love to be involved in these cold cases. When the polygraph is used a lot of information comes out in the pre-test interview that often leads a police investigation into areas they may not have considered before. This in turn leads to new lines of enquiry and often new suspects.
Currently our examiners help in matters related to infidelity, theft either personal or in the workplace, sexual abuse current and historical and in recruitment/pre-employment screening among others. Sifting the truth from lies is what they do and they are the most highly qualified, accredited professional to achieve it.
If you have an issue that needs the truth to be discovered call us on our Free Helpline 85 176 3360. Our polygraph examiners in Ireland will be happy advise you as to whether or not a lie detector test can help.