Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6763Murder · Co. Sligo · 1 May 2023

Man charged with murder of Angela Canavan in Sligo

Angela Canavan, 58, was found dead with head injuries at her rented home on St John's Terrace in Sligo Town. Gardaí say her body was discovered on 1 May 2023, though one report gives April 2023. A man in his 30s was arrested days after the death and released without charge. On 15 January 2024 gardaí arrested Nigel Canavan, 38, and charged him with her murder; on 16 January 2024 he replied not guilty at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court, where the DPP directed trial at the Central Criminal Court, and he was remanded in custody to reappear at Sligo District Court on Thursday.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Charged15 Jan
    2 reports
  4. In court16 Jan
    2 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Angela Canavan, 58 (reports also say late 50s), was found dead at her home in Sligo Town.
  • Ms Canavan was a grandmother with two adult children.
Where
She was found on the ground floor of the home on St John's Terrace, Sligo Town, which she had rented.
When
Gardaí say the body was discovered on 1 May 2023, while one report gives April 2023 as the time of discovery.
Cause
  • Her body was found with a number of head injuries, and officers initially suspected she may have died from a fall.
  • Investigators believe she was killed when a simple row got out of hand at her home.
Investigation
  • A man in his 30s was arrested and questioned several days after the death and released without charge.
  • The case was upgraded to a murder inquiry, and on 15 January 2024 a man was arrested at his home in Crossmolina, Co Mayo.
Charges
Nigel Canavan, 38, was charged with the murder of Angela Canavan at 5.49pm on 15 January 2024.
In court
  • On 16 January 2024 he appeared before Judge Michael Connellan at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court and replied not guilty when charged and cautioned.
  • The DPP directed that he be tried for murder at the Central Criminal Court.
  • He was remanded in custody, to appear by video link before Sligo District Court on Thursday, and a defence legal aid application was granted, with no bail application made.
Other details
Ms Canavan was a native of Crossmolina, Co Mayo; one report says she had rented a home in Sligo town for more than five years, and another says she had lived alone there for six or seven years.
44 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatAngela Canavan, 58, was found in her home with head injuries. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatAngela Canavan was found dead at her home in Sligo. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA 38-year-old man has been charged with the murder of his mother in Sligo. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe victim's body was discovered at her home. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereAngela Canavan was found dead on the ground floor of her home on St John’s Terrace, Co Sligo. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereAngela Canavan was found in her home on St John's Terrace in Sligo Town. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe victim had been renting the home in St John’s Terrace, Sligo. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe victim was killed at her home on St John's Terrace in Sligo town. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenGardaí say the body was discovered at a residence in Sligo town on 1 May 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe victim was discovered at the home on May 1, 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe killing took place on 1 May 2023. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeHer body was found with a number of head injuries. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeInvestigators believe Angela Canavan was killed when a simple row got out of hand at her home. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe finding of her body prompted a criminal investigation by gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationIn the days after her death, a man in his 30s was arrested and questioned over the killing, but was released without charge at the time. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí said in a statement on Monday that a man had been arrested and charged following an investigation into the killing. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí previously arrested a suspect several days after the death, but he was released without charge. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe case was later upgraded to a murder inquiry. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí arrested and charged the accused with murder at 5.49pm on Monday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí arrested the accused at his home in Crossmolina on a Monday afternoon. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeA man has been charged in connection with the killing of a woman in Sligo town. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeA man in his 30s was arrested on Monday over the killing. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe man was charged with murder on Monday night. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeNigel Canavan was charged with the murder of Angela Canavan. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe accused was charged with the murder of Angela Canavan. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe man is due to appear before a sitting of Carrick on Shannon District Court on Tuesday morning. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe man was due to appear at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court on Tuesday 16 January 2024 at 10.30am. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtCanavan was brought before Judge Michael Connellan on Tuesday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe accused replied “not guilty” when charged and cautioned. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtDPP directions are that the accused be tried for murder at the Central Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe accused was remanded in custody to reappear at Sligo District Court on Thursday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe accused was brought before Judge Michael Connellan at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court on a Tuesday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe accused replied not guilty when cautioned. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe DPP directed that the charge is an indictable offence of murder to be tried at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtGardaí applied to remand the accused in custody to Castlerea Prison to appear by video link before Sligo District Court on Thursday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge granted the remand application. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtA legal aid application by the defence was granted. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtNo bail application was made. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherAngela Canavan was a grandmother in her late 50s. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherAngela Canavan had two adult children. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherAngela Canavan was originally from Crossmolina, Co Mayo, and had rented a home in Sligo town for several years. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherOfficers initially suspected she may have died from a fall at her rented home. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim was a native of Crossmolina, Co Mayo. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim was a mother of two who was originally from Mayo and had lived alone in Sligo town for six or seven years before her death. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 16 Jan2024
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Man (38) charged with murdering his mother in Sligo last year

    Reports the charge, arrest in Crossmolina, the DPP direction for trial at the Central Criminal Court, the plea, remand to Castlerea Prison, and legal aid being granted. Notes that no bail application was made.

    victim, Angela Canavan, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Canavanaccused, Nigel Canavan, 38, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nigel Canavan
  2. 16 Jan2024
    In courtirishmirror.ie, first report
    Son appears in court after mother found dead at home in Sligo

    Court appearance report. Adds the charge date, the accused's plea, the DPP direction for trial at the Central Criminal Court, and the remand details.

    victim, Angela Canavan, 58, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Canavanaccused, Nigel Canavan, 38, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nigel Canavan
  3. 15 Jan2024
    Chargedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Man arrested and charged with murder of grandmother in Sligo

    First report of the arrest and charge of a man in his 30s over the murder of Angela Canavan. Gives the court date and the earlier arrest and release. The article gives two different discovery dates: 'April last year' in the text and 1 May 2023 in the garda statement. The date of the killing is not stated, so incident_date is left empty.

    victim, Angela Canavan, 58, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Canavanaccused, 30s, male
  4. 15 Jan2024
    Chargedirishtimes.com, first report
    Man arrested and charged over death of woman in Sligo town last year

    Reports that a man in his 30s has been charged over the killing, that he is due in court on Tuesday, and that an earlier arrest in the days after the death ended with his release without charge.

    victim, Angela Canavan, late 50s, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Canavanaccused, 30s, male