Ireland Case No. 2133Murder (three counts) · Co. Dublin · 24 Jan 2020
Dublin triple murder mother adjourned in inquest scope challenge
Paediatric nurse Deirdre Morley suffocated her three children Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3) McGinley at their home in Newcastle, Co Dublin on 24 January 2020. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity of three counts of murder at the Central Criminal Court in 2021 and committed to the Central Mental Hospital. The inquest into the children's deaths has not yet been heard, and the Dublin coroner decided in October 2025 not to allow medical professionals who treated Morley before the killings to give evidence about her mental state. In December 2025, the High Court heard Morley's judicial review of that decision and adjourned the matter to 10 February.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court25 Nov
5 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Deirdre Morley, a paediatric nurse, suffocated her three children Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3) McGinley at their home in Newcastle, Co Dublin on 24 January 2020.
- Where
- The killings took place at the family home in Newcastle, Co Dublin.
- When
- The children were killed on 24 January 2020.
- Cause
- Postmortems found all three children died from suffocation.
- In court
- Morley was found not guilty by reason of insanity of three counts of murder at the Central Criminal Court in 2021.
- Dublin District Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane decided on 7 October 2025 not to allow medical professionals who treated Morley before the killings to give evidence about her mental state.
- Morley is seeking judicial review of the coroner's decision, and the High Court heard the ex parte application on 8 December 2025.
- The judge said the coroner's evidence decision was within her discretion and adjourned the matter to 10 February.
- Sentence
- Morley was committed to the Central Mental Hospital following the verdict.
- Investigation
- The inquest into the children's deaths has not yet been heard.
- Other details
- Andrew McGinley, the children's father, is not a party to the case but supports Morley's challenge.
- Morley was granted unaccompanied Level 3 leave from the Central Mental Hospital, reported in January 2025.
82 statements extracted from the articles
- whatAndrew McGinley is 55 years old. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatConor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3) were killed by their mother Deirde Morley in January 2020. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAndrew McGinley has pledged to do his utmost to enjoy Christmas this year. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAndrew McGinley set up three legacy projects in his children's names after their deaths. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe three legacy projects are called 'Conor's Clips', 'As Darragh Did' and 'Snowman for Carla'. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAndrew McGinley visited his children's graves on Christmas morning in the past two years. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe children killed were Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3). (irishmirror.ie)
- whatDeirdre Morley was found not guilty of murdering her three children by reason of insanity (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whatMorley has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital since the incident (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAndrew McGinley confirmed he was officially informed of the leave (irishmirror.ie)
- whatBaby Henry Coleman was killed by his mother Nicola Keane in October 2020, who then took her own life (irishmirror.ie)
- whatUna Butler's husband John killed their young girls Ella (6) and Zoe (2) on 16 November 2010 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAndrew's charity has given out over €300,000 in funds to date (irishmirror.ie)
- whatShe killed Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3) on 24 January 2020 (dublinlive.ie)
- whatAndrew McGinley was officially informed of her receiving leave (dublinlive.ie)
- whatAndrew McGinley has paid out over €300,000 from his fundraising charities (dublinlive.ie)
- whatMorley killed her three children, Conor, Darragh and Carla McGinley, at their home in Newcastle, Co Dublin, in 2020. (thejournal.ie)
- whatDeirdre Morley killed her three children. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereAndrew McGinley is from Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe children were found dead in their south Dublin home. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereShe has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital since the incident (dublinlive.ie)
- whereThe three children were killed at the family home in Newcastle, Co Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe killings took place at the family home in Newcastle, Co Dublin. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whereThe children were killed at their home in Newcastle, Co Dublin. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe children were killed on 24 January 2020 (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whenThe three children died at their family home in Newcastle, Co Dublin on 24 January 2020 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenMorley formed the intention that led to the deaths in January 2020. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe children died in January 2020. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe children were killed in January 2020. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe killings took place in 2020. (thejournal.ie)
- causeDeirdre Morley suffocated the children. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeA postmortem found the three children had all died from suffocation. (thejournal.ie)
- causePostmortems found all three children died from suffocation. (irishtimes.com)
- causeA post-mortem found the three children died by suffocation. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- causeA postmortem found the three children died from suffocation. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationAn inquest into the children's deaths has not yet been heard (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationAndrew McGinley has asked the coroner overseeing the inquest to look into medical care Morley received for a mental illness in the two years preceding the deaths (irishmirror.ie)
- courtDeirde Morley was found not guilty by reason of insanity of the murders of her three children. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMorley was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity following a trial in 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe coroner adjourned the inquest hearing last year to allow submissions before ruling on its scope. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThere are ongoing civil cases involving the HSE before the courts over the tragedy. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtDeirdre Morley was found not guilty of the murder by reason of insanity in May 2021 (irishmirror.ie)
- courtDeirdre Morley is taking judicial review proceedings over a coroner's decision not to have medical professionals who treated her give evidence about her mental state. (thejournal.ie)
- courtMorley was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity in 2021 following a trial. (thejournal.ie)
- courtMorley's counsel argued that evidence about the six months before the deaths should be allowed. (thejournal.ie)
- courtCounsel for Dr Gibbons argued that her evidence would not be contemporaneous or relevant to the death of the McGinley children. (thejournal.ie)
- courtCounsel for the HSE agreed with the submission made by Dr Mills. (thejournal.ie)
- courtDeirdre Morley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2021 of murdering her three children. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMs Morley is seeking permission for a judicial review of the Dublin coroner's decision not to call evidence from treating medical professionals. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe coroner ruled that evidence on Ms Morley's mental health would come from two forensic consultant psychiatrists who gave evidence at her 2021 trial. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe inquest is to be held on a date to be announced. (irishtimes.com)
- courtAndrew McGinley backs Deirdre Morley's court challenge to the scope of a death inquest. (extra.ie)
- courtMorley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2021 after a trial at the Central Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMorley is seeking judicial review of the coroner's decision of 7 October. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMorley's lawyers argue the inquest would be insufficient and inadequate without evidence from those who treated her in the six months before the deaths. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe judge granted an earlier hearing date and adjourned the matter to 8 December. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMs Morley was found not guilty by reason of insanity of murder after a trial at the Central Criminal Court in 2021. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMs Morley is seeking judicial review of coroner Dr Myra Cullinane's October 7th decision. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe coroner decided not to allow medical professionals who treated Ms Morley before the killings to give evidence about her mental state. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMs Morley's lawyers applied for the High Court ex parte application to be heard earlier than January 19th next year. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMs Justice Mary Rose Gearty granted the earlier date and adjourned the matter to December 8th. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMorley was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity in 2021 after a trial. (thejournal.ie)
- courtMorley took judicial review of the coroner's decision not to have her treating medical professionals give evidence at the inquest. (thejournal.ie)
- courtMorley's barrister argued the inquest needed evidence from her treating professionals, not only two forensic consultants. (thejournal.ie)
- courtMorley's barrister said the coroner acted irrationally by unduly limiting the evidence. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe judge suggested the decision on evidence was within the coroner's discretion. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe judge said the court does not micromanage coroner's decisions. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe judge granted Morley's legal team permission to notify the other party of the review application. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe case is due back before the courts on 10 February. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceMorley was committed to the Central Mental Hospital. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceMs Morley had been committed to the Central Mental Hospital after the verdict. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMorley told gardaí she had been suffering from depression for several months before the killings. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe father said the HSE review into the tragedy lacked detail. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe father wants the scope of the inquest widened. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe Children First Act is 2015 legislation placing statutory obligations on professionals and organisations providing services to children (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMcGinley believes clinicians made decisions about his children without his input as a co-parent (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMcGinley set up a YouTube channel in memory of his eldest child Conor (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe children's father, Andrew McGinley, is not a party to the case but supports it. (irishtimes.com)
- otherDublin District Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane decided not to allow medical professionals who treated Morley before the killings to give evidence about her mental state. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe coroner intends to rely on expert testimony from two consultant psychiatrists. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMorley told gardaí that at the time she was overwhelmed and her thoughts had been getting darker. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMorley was a paediatric nurse. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 8 Dec2025Mother who killed her three children argues coroner acted 'irrationally' over trial evidence
Reports Morley's judicial review hearing on 8 December 2025, in which her barrister argued the coroner acted irrationally. The judge said the coroner's evidence decision is within her discretion and granted permission to notify the other party. The case is to return to court on 10 February.
victim, Conor, 9, irish (judged from name)Conorvictim, Darragh, 7, irish (judged from name)Darraghvictim, Carla McGinley, 3, irish (judged from name)Carla McGinleyaccused, Deirdre Morley, female, named, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Morley - 27 Nov2025Legal challenge to coroner by Deirdre Morley, who killed her three children, to be heard early
Reports that Ms Morley is seeking judicial review of coroner Dr Myra Cullinane's October 7th decision to limit medical evidence at the inquests, and that the High Court heard the ex parte application earlier than planned.
accused, Deirdre Morley, female, named, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Morleyvictim, Conor, 9, irish (judged from name)Conorvictim, Darragh, 7, irish (judged from name)Darraghvictim, Carla McGinley, 3, irish (judged from name)Carla McGinley - 27 Nov2025Mum who killed her three children to bring action to challenge coroner decision
Adds that Morley is seeking judicial review of Dublin District Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane's 7 October decision, that the High Court granted an earlier hearing date, and that the matter was adjourned to 8 December.
accused, Deirdre Morley, female, named, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Morleyvictim, Conor, 9, irish (judged from name)Conorvictim, Darragh, 7, irish (judged from name)Darraghvictim, Carla McGinley, 3, irish (judged from name)Carla McGinley - 26 Nov2025Andrew McGinley backs Deirdre Morley's court challenge to scope of death inquest
The article body contains only template code, so the headline is the only content. It reports McGinley's backing for Morley's court challenge to the inquest's scope, which matches existing case 4484.
suspect, Deirdre Morley, named, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Morley - 25 Nov2025Deirdre Morley, mother who killed her three children, challenges coroner over scope of inquest
Reports that Ms Morley filed proceedings seeking judicial review of the Dublin coroner's decision on the scope of medical evidence at the children's inquests, and gives the father's support for the challenge.
accused, Deirdre Morley, female, named, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Morleyvictim, Conor, 9, irish (judged from name)Conorvictim, Darragh, 7, irish (judged from name)Darraghvictim, Carla, 3, irish (judged from name)Carla - 25 Nov2025Mother who killed her three children sues over coroner's decision to limit the scope of inquests
Reports Morley's judicial review proceedings against the coroner's decision on medical witnesses at the inquests, and the arguments made at the Dublin District Coroner's Court hearing.
accused, Deirdre Morley, female, named, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Morleyvictim, Conor, 9, irish (judged from name)Conorvictim, Darragh, 7, irish (judged from name)Darraghvictim, Carla McGinley, 3, irish (judged from name)Carla McGinley - 9 Mar2025Dad of three kids killed by mother says child legislation failed to protect them
Father discusses the Children First Act on a podcast and asks the coroner to examine the medical care the mother received for a mental illness in the two years before the children's deaths; inquest is delayed.
victim, 9, male, irish (judged from name)victim, 7, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Carla McGinley, 3, female, irish (judged from name)Carla McGinleyaccused, Deirdre Morley, female, named, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Morleyvictim, Andrew McGinley, male, irish (judged from name)Andrew McGinley - 22 Jan2025Mum who killed 3 kids granted unaccompanied days out of hospital
Reports that Deirdre Morley has been approved for unaccompanied (Level 3) leave from Central Mental Hospital, and includes exclusive comments from the children's father Andrew McGinley on the fifth anniversary of their deaths, the lack of an inquest, and his fundraising work.
convicted, Deirdre Morley, female, named, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Morleyvictim, Andrew McGinley, male, irish (judged from name)Andrew McGinleyvictim, Conor, 9, male, irish (judged from name)Conorvictim, Darragh, 7, male, irish (judged from name)Darraghvictim, Carla, 3, female, irish (judged from name)Carla - 22 Jan2025Killer of Conor, Darragh and Carla McGinley granted days out of mental hospital
Exclusive interview with Andrew McGinley marking the 5th anniversary; he confirms he was officially informed of the leave, criticises the HSE review as insufficient, references other child deaths (Henry Coleman, Una Butler), and discusses his charity work including over €300,000 distributed and an upcoming 30km walk event on April 12.
victim, Conor, 9, male, irish (judged from name)Conorvictim, Darragh, 7, male, irish (judged from name)Darraghvictim, Carla, 3, female, irish (judged from name)Carlavictim, Andrew McGinley, male, irish (judged from name)Andrew McGinleysuspect, Deirdre Morley, female, named, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Morley - 24 Jan2024Dad of three kids killed by their mum said review into tragedy lacked 'detail'
Feature with the children's father on the HSE review, the coroner's pending decision on the inquest scope, and ongoing civil cases. Morley was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity in 2021 and committed to the Central Mental Hospital.
victim, Conor, 9, irish (judged from name)Conorvictim, Darragh, 7, irish (judged from name)Darraghvictim, Carla, 3, irish (judged from name)Carlaaccused, Deirdre Morley, female, named, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Morley - 19 Dec2022Dad of kids killed by mum makes heartbreaking pledge to try and enjoy Christmas
Feature piece about the father's grief and his pledge to enjoy Christmas; mentions three legacy projects ('Conor's Clips', 'As Darragh Did', 'Snowman for Carla') and his determination to honour his children's memories.
victim, 9, male, irish (judged from name)victim, 7, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Carla McGinley, 3, female, irish (judged from name)Carla McGinleyvictim, Andrew McGinley, 55, male, irish (judged from name)Andrew McGinleysuspect, Deirde Morley, female, named, irish (judged from name)Deirde Morley