Ireland Case No. 21391Manslaughter; assault causing serious harm · Co. Clare · 18 Mar 2018
Man jailed for nine years over Shannon nightclub manslaughter
Nathan O'Neill, 24, from Dooradoyle in Limerick, stabbed Jamie Higgins, 23, from Mungret, to death in the early hours of 18 March 2018 at the Shannon Knights nightclub in Shannon, County Clare, and also stabbed Michael Shannon three times. Gardaí found O'Neill crouched in undergrowth near the club after he left. After a first murder trial in early 2022 ended without agreement, a second jury acquitted him of murder and convicted him of manslaughter. On 24 April 2023 Mr Justice Paul Burns at the Central Criminal Court jailed him for nine years, with the sentences backdated to 1 April 2022.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced24 Apr
5 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Nathan O'Neill stabbed Jamie Higgins to death at the Shannon Knights nightclub.
- Jamie Higgins suffered five stab wounds to the abdomen and chest, and the fatal wound penetrated his heart.
- O'Neill also stabbed Michael Shannon three times, and Mr Shannon's injuries were not life-threatening.
- Where
- The stabbing happened at the Shannon Knights nightclub in Shannon, County Clare.
- When
- The stabbing happened in the early hours of 18 March 2018.
- Cause
- O'Neill had been punched by Mr Higgins earlier in the night, left the club, and stabbed Mr Higgins when another row broke out; he told gardaí he had been bullied and intimidated by Mr Higgins.
- Weapon
- O'Neill took a knife from a car, put it in his pocket for his protection, and returned to the club about an hour after leaving with the knife.
- Investigation
- Gardaí found O'Neill crouched in undergrowth near the nightclub after he fled, and he was forthright about what happened after his arrest.
- Charges
- O'Neill pleaded guilty to causing serious harm to Michael Shannon; the sources differ on the manslaughter plea, with one saying he pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a murder trial and another saying he pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter.
- In court
- O'Neill was tried for murder twice, as the first jury failed to agree in early 2022, and the second jury acquitted him of murder and found him guilty of manslaughter.
- The judge said the introduction of the knife was a substantial aggravating factor, and O'Neill has previous convictions for making a threat to kill and for possession of a knife.
- In mitigation, O'Neill was said to have fully cooperated with gardaí, pleaded guilty early and shown genuine remorse.
- Sentence
- The judge set a headline sentence of 14 years for manslaughter and reduced it to ten years, with the final 12 months suspended for three years.
- O'Neill received seven years for causing serious harm to Michael Shannon, to run concurrently, and the sentences were backdated to 1 April 2022, when he first went into custody, giving a total of nine years at the Central Criminal Court on 24 April 2023.
71 statements extracted from the articles
- whatNathan O'Neill stabbed Jamie Higgins to death. (limerickleader.ie, thejournal.ie)
- whatJamie Higgins suffered five stab wounds to the abdomen and chest. (limerickleader.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- whatMichael Shannon was also stabbed, but his injuries were not life-threatening. (limerickleader.ie)
- whatNathan O'Neill stabbed Jamie Higgins five times in the Shannon Knights nightclub. (rte.ie)
- whatO'Neill also stabbed Michael Shannon three times. (rte.ie)
- whatMr Higgins suffered five stab wounds to the abdomen and chest. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe fatal wound penetrated Jamie Higgins's heart. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe stabbing happened at the Shannon Knights nightclub in Shannon, County Clare. (limerickleader.ie)
- whereThe killing took place in a nightclub in Co Clare. (rte.ie)
- whereThe stabbing happened at the Shannon Knights nightclub in Shannon, Co Clare. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe killing happened at the Shannon Knights nightclub in Shannon, Co Clare. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whenThe stabbing happened in the early hours of 18 March 2018. (rte.ie, thejournal.ie)
- whenThe killing happened in the early hours of March 18, 2018. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe killing happened in the early hours of March 18th, 2018. (irishtimes.com)
- causeO'Neill stabbed his victim five times when another row broke out. (limerickleader.ie)
- causeO'Neill had been punched by Mr Higgins earlier in the night and was upset by it. (rte.ie)
- causeO'Neill told gardaí he had been bullied and intimidated by Mr Higgins. (rte.ie)
- causeTensions were high after an earlier altercation and O’Neill left the club. (thejournal.ie)
- causeO'Neill left the club, armed himself with a knife and stabbed Jamie Higgins five times when another row broke out. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe accused left the nightclub after a fight, armed himself with a knife and stabbed the victim five times when another row broke out. (irishtimes.com)
- weaponO'Neill armed himself with a knife after leaving the nightclub. (limerickleader.ie)
- weaponO'Neill left the club and returned about an hour later with a knife. (rte.ie)
- weaponO’Neill took a knife from a car and put it in his pocket. (thejournal.ie)
- weaponO'Neill told gardaí he took a knife from a car and put it in his pocket for his protection. (irishmirror.ie)
- weaponThe accused took a knife from a car and put it in his pocket for his protection. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationO'Neill was found by gardaí crouched in undergrowth near the nightclub. (limerickleader.ie)
- investigationAfter his arrest, O'Neill was forthright from the outset about what happened. (limerickleader.ie)
- investigationO'Neill was arrested in undergrowth in a nearby field after fleeing the club. (rte.ie)
- investigationO’Neill was found by gardaí crouched in undergrowth near the club. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationO'Neill was found by gardaí crouched in undergrowth near the nightclub after he left. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí found the accused crouched in undergrowth near the nightclub after he left. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeO'Neill also pleaded guilty to causing serious harm to Michael Shannon. (limerickleader.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- chargeO'Neill pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and a jury convicted him of manslaughter after a trial for murder. (rte.ie)
- chargeO’Neill pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe accused pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Jamie Higgins. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe accused also pleaded guilty to causing serious harm to Michael Shannon. (irishtimes.com)
- courtO'Neill was twice tried for murder after the first jury failed to reach an agreement in early 2022. (limerickleader.ie)
- courtA jury acquitted O'Neill of murder and found him guilty of manslaughter after his second trial. (limerickleader.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe judge said O'Neill had committed earlier offences that indicated a prior history of possessing weapons. (rte.ie)
- courtIn mitigation, O'Neill was said to have fully cooperated with gardaí, pleaded guilty early and shown genuine remorse. (rte.ie)
- courtA jury acquitted O’Neill of murder and found him guilty of manslaughter after a second trial. (thejournal.ie)
- courtO'Neill was twice tried for murder after the jury failed to agree following his first trial in early 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe accused was tried for murder twice after a jury failed to agree following the first trial in early 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- courtA jury acquitted the accused of murder and found him guilty of manslaughter after the second trial. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe headline sentence for the manslaughter offence was set at 14 years. (limerickleader.ie)
- sentenceThe manslaughter sentence was reduced to ten years, with the final 12 months suspended for three years. (limerickleader.ie, irishtimes.com)
- sentenceO'Neill was sentenced to seven years for causing serious harm to Michael Shannon. (limerickleader.ie)
- sentenceThe sentences were backdated to April 1, 2022, when O'Neill first went into custody. (limerickleader.ie)
- sentenceO'Neill was sentenced to ten years, with the final year suspended, which the report describes as nine years in jail. (rte.ie)
- sentenceO’Neill was jailed for nine years at the Central Criminal Court. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceThe judge set the headline sentence at 14 years and reduced it to ten years, with the final 12 months suspended for three years. (thejournal.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceO’Neill received seven years for assault causing serious harm to Mr Shannon. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceThe sentences run concurrently and are backdated to 1 April 2022. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceO'Neill was jailed for nine years by a judge at the Central Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe judge gave O'Neill seven years for causing serious harm to Michael Shannon, to run concurrently and backdated to April 1, 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of 14 years for manslaughter. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe accused was sentenced to seven years for causing serious harm to Michael Shannon, with both sentences to run concurrently. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe sentences were backdated to April 1, 2022, when the accused first went into custody. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe accused was jailed for nine years at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe article headline says the accused was jailed for nine years. (limerickleader.ie)
- otherJamie Higgins was from Mungret. (limerickleader.ie)
- otherEvidence showed O'Neill had a prior history with Jamie Higgins and was in fear of him. (limerickleader.ie)
- otherThe judge said the introduction of the knife was a substantial aggravating factor. (limerickleader.ie, thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- otherThe victim's mother told the court she did not know how to live without her son. (rte.ie)
- otherO’Neill has previous convictions for making a threat to kill and for possession of a knife. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe judge took into account O'Neill's early guilty plea, cooperation with gardaí and genuine remorse. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe judge said O'Neill had a prior history with the deceased and was in fear of him. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMichael Shannon was stabbed but his injuries were not life-threatening. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe victim had five stab wounds to the abdomen and chest. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe fatal wound penetrated the victim's heart and another stab wound damaged his kidney. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe accused has previous convictions for making a threat to kill and for possession of a knife. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 24 Apr2023‘Nobody can take our memories’: family anguished as man jailed for nine years for Clare nightclub killing
Reports the sentencing at the Central Criminal Court: a nine-year total sentence (ten years for manslaughter with final 12 months suspended, seven years concurrent for serious harm to Michael Shannon), the knife being brought back into the nightclub, and the history of the two trials.
victim, Jamie Higgins, male, irish (judged from name)Jamie Higginsvictim, Michael Shannon, male, irish (judged from name)Michael Shannonconvicted, Nathan O'Neill, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nathan O'Neill - 24 Apr2023Killer who stabbed victim in nightclub fight jailed for nine years
Sentencing report: details of the manslaughter sentence (10 years, final 12 months suspended), the seven-year concurrent sentence for causing serious harm, and the court's findings on mitigation and the knife.
convicted, Nathan O'Neill, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nathan O'Neillvictim, Jamie Higgins, male, irish (judged from name)Jamie Higginsvictim, Michael Shannon, male, irish (judged from name)Michael Shannon - 24 Apr2023Man jailed for nine years for fatal stabbing in Clare nightclub
Adds the sentencing hearing: the judge's reasoning, the headline and reduced sentences, the backdating to 1 April 2022, and victim impact statements.
convicted, Nathan O'Neill, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nathan O'Neillvictim, Jamie Higgins, male, irish (judged from name)Jamie Higginsvictim, Michael Shannon, male, irish (judged from name)Michael Shannon - 24 Apr2023Man jailed for nine years over fatal nightclub stabbing
Reports the sentence (nine years, with the final year suspended), the manslaughter plea and jury verdict after a murder trial, the mitigation, and the victim impact evidence. Also names Michael Shannon as a second person stabbed.
convicted, Nathan O'Neill, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nathan O'Neillvictim, Jamie Higgins, 23, male, irish (judged from name)Jamie Higginsvictim, Michael Shannon, irish (judged from name)Michael Shannon - 24 Apr2023Limerick man jailed for nine years over fatal stabbing in nightclub
Adds the sentence details, the sentencing judge's reasoning, the trial history and the knife evidence to the existing sentenced case.
convicted, Nathan O'Neill, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nathan O'Neillvictim, Jamie Higgins, male, irish (judged from name)Jamie Higginsvictim, Michael Shannon, male, irish (judged from name)Michael Shannon