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April 26, 2026
The Joan O Rourke case is one of the most tragic stories in Irish true crime. On the morning of 29th December 1958, a priest was called to the Central Hotel in Kilmallock, County Limerick, after being summoned by a 15 year old boy. Inside, his mother lay in the kitchen, gravely injured a discovery that would lead to one of Ireland’s most disturbing cases. Joan O’Rourke was 40 years old. She was a businesswoman, a mother of three, and a well known figure in her local community. She ran one of ...