Gardaí urge anyone with information on 2002 New Year's Eve murder to come forward

Gardaí are renewing an appeal for information on the murder of a 39-year-old man twenty years ago. 

The appeal in relation to Sean Poland - killed in his home in Blackwater, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare on December 31 2002 - has been renewed on the twentieth anniversary of his death. 

According to Gardaí, Sean was out socialising with his partner at the Round House Pub on High Street in Limerick celebrating New Year’s Eve, before leaving the pub just after 11pm and heading home. Sean’s partner set a fire in the living room while Sean made some food in the kitchen and, as they were settling in for the night, the doorbell rang. Sean went to answer the door thinking it was neighbours calling to wish them a Happy New Year. 

As Sean opened the front door, four masked and armed raiders rushed through the door. Two of the raiders ran towards the living room and grabbed Sean’s partner, ordering her to kneel on the floor and told her to put her hands behind her back. The raiders demanded to know where the money was.

She heard a shot coming from the hallway. The raiders tied her hands together with a cable from the television before stealing a sum of money from her handbag and fleeing from the house.

Sean’s partner discovered him in the hallway with a gunshot wound to his stomach. He was not breathing.

An Garda Síochána made appeals for public information at the time and on ‘Crimecall’ in December 2012.

Gardaí believe that a number of people have yet to come forward who may now be in a position to assist in bringing those responsible to justice. 

With the passage of time, some person may now be in a position to provide information to investigating Gardaí that they could not provide at the time, or maybe some person who did provide information at the time may be now in a position to provide further information. 

Anyone with information can contact investigating Gardaí at Mayorstone Garda Station 061 456 980, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.