Man charged with murdering his mother seven months ago in Killarney

Billy Burns, 52, has been charged with the murder of his mother Miriam Burns that occurred in Killarney, Co Kerry last August.

Gardaí said on Tuesday, March 7 that they arrested a man in his 50s as part of their investigation into the discovery of a body of a woman in her 70s in unexplained circumstances in Killarney, Co Kerry on Monday, August 15, 2022.

The suspect was taken to Killarney Garda Station where he was subsequently charged on Tuesday.

Billy Burns, 52, appeared in Killarney District Court today, March 7, where he was charged with a single count of murder.

In court, Detective Sergeant Michael Quirke gave evidence of arresting Burns at 12:45 pm at the town centre in Tralee, Co Kerry, RTÉ reports.

Quirke said Burns replied "no comment" when he read the charge to him.

Solicitor Padraig O'Connell applied for free legal aid for Burns, who is on disability allowance.

Judge David Waters remanded Burns in custody on the application of the State.

O'Connell asked that Burns, who is of no fixed address, receive appropriate medical treatment, including psychiatric treatment, while he is on remand. He also said a bail application would be made to the High Court at a later date.

Burns is due to appear in Tralee District Court via video link tomorrow, March 8.

Gardaí said on Monday, August 15 that the body of a woman in her 70s, named locally as Miriam Burns, had been discovered in "unexplained circumstances" at a residential property in Ardshanavooley, Killarney, Co Kerry.

The following day, Gardaí confirmed that their investigation had shifted to a murder investigation. Later that day, Gardaí confirmed that a man in his 50s had been arrested, though he was later released without charge on Thursday, August 18.

A post-mortem examination was conducted on Tuesday, August 16 at University Hospital Kerry by State Pathologist Dr. Margot Bolster; the results were not released for operational reasons.

Detectives believed that Burns was beaten to death in her Killarney home at some point between Friday, August 12, and Monday, August 15.

On Sunday, August 21, a funeral for Burns was held at St. Mary's Cathedral in Killarney, Co Kerry, followed by private cremation. 

Ahead of the funeral, local councillor Niall ‘Botty’ O’Callaghan told Radio Kerry how Burns would be missed from the tight-knit estate that she's lived at since the 1970s.

“You were guaranteed to see her on her bike at least once or twice a day,” O’Callaghan said. “She’d talk to anyone and she’d talk all day, you’d miss her for that.”

Killarney councillor Donal Grady said: “She had a good word to say about everyone. She always looked on the bright side, that’s the type of a person she was."

“It’s just hard to believe she’s gone. She had a lot of friends in Killarney,” he said, adding, “she was everyone’s friend.”