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. 6208Murder · Co. Louth

Men jailed for Irene White murder no longer speak in Mountjoy Prison

In April 2005 Irene White, a housewife and mother of two from Dundalk, was stabbed more than 30 times in her home after a killer broke into it. Anthony Lambe, 43, from Co Monaghan, was convicted in January 2018 after pleading guilty, and Niall Power, 43, a security company owner, pleaded guilty and was jailed for life, as was Lambe. Power says a third person contracted him to organise the killing, and the DPP declined to prosecute a named third person, saying there was not enough evidence. As of March 2024, the two men are held in different wings of Mountjoy Prison, have no contact and no longer speak to each other.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced27 Mar
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Niall Power and Anthony Lambe were jailed for life for the murder of Irene White.
  • Irene White was a housewife and mother of two.
Where
  • Irene White was killed in her home in Dundalk, Co Louth.
  • Anthony Lambe is from Co Monaghan.
When
The killing took place in April 2005, when an intruder broke into Irene White's home.
Cause
  • Power paid Lambe €2,000 to kill Irene White.
  • Power says he was never paid for the killing.
Weapon
Irene White was stabbed more than 30 times.
Investigation
Power walked into Dundalk Garda Station and admitted his part in the murder; sources differ on whether this was the day after the murder or the day after Lambe's conviction.
In court
Lambe was convicted in January 2018 after pleading guilty.
Sentence
Power pleaded guilty and was jailed for life.
Other details
  • Power says a third person contracted him to organise the murder and he has refused to name that person.
  • The DPP declined to act on a Garda file recommending that a named third person be charged with the murder, saying there was not enough evidence.
  • As of March 2024, Lambe and Power are held in different wings of Mountjoy Prison, have no contact and no longer speak to each other.
19 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatNiall Power and Anthony Lambe were jailed for life for the murder of Irene White. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereIrene White was killed in her home. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe murder of Irene White took place in Dundalk. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whenThe killing took place in April 2005. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe killer broke into Irene White's home in April 2005. (dublinlive.ie)
  • causePower paid Lambe €2,000 to kill Irene White. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponIrene White was stabbed more than 30 times. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationPower walked into Dundalk Garda Station the day after Lambe's conviction and admitted his part in the murder. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationPower walked into Dundalk Garda station the day after the murder and admitted his part in it. (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtLambe was convicted in January 2018 after pleading guilty. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • sentencePower pleaded guilty and later received a life sentence. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentencePower pleaded guilty and was jailed for life. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherPower said he was contracted to organise the murder by a third person whom he has refused to name. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherPower says he was never paid for the killing. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe two men are kept apart in different wings of Mountjoy Prison and have no contact. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe DPP refused to act on a Garda file recommending a named third person be charged with the murder, saying there was not enough evidence. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherSecurity company owner Niall Power paid Anthony Lambe €2,000 to murder Irene White. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherPower says a third person contracted him to organise the murder and has refused to name them. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherLambe and Power are held in different parts of Mountjoy Prison and have no contact. (dublinlive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 28 Mar2024
    Sentenceddublinlive.ie, follow-up
    Men jailed in Mountjoy Prison for same murder no longer talk to each other

    Feature on the prison arrangements for two men already jailed for the 2005 murder of Irene White: they no longer speak, Lambe is in the Progressive Unit and Power works as a cleaner. It also reports that the DPP refused to act on a Garda file seeking charges against a named third person.

    victim, Irene White, female, irish (judged from name)Irene Whiteconvicted, Niall Power, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Powerconvicted, Anthony Lambe, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Anthony Lambe
  2. 27 Mar2024
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Pair jailed for murder of Irene White kept apart in prison after falling out

    Article is a prison follow-up on the convicted men's relationship. It adds that they are kept apart in Mountjoy, that Power says he was contracted by a third person he has refused to name, and that the DPP declined to charge that person.

    convicted, Niall Power, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Powerconvicted, Anthony Lambe, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Anthony Lambevictim, Irene White, female, irish (judged from name)Irene White