Ireland Case No. 4121Murder · Co. Limerick · 13 Mar 2021
Tegan McGhee sentenced to life for murder of 4-year-old Mason O'Connell Conway in Limerick
Tegan McGhee, 32, was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul McDermott for the murder of four-year-old Mason O'Connell Conway at a house in Rathbane, Limerick city, in March 2021. The child's father, John Paul O'Connell, 36, was previously sentenced to seven years for endangerment, neglect and impeding McGhee's apprehension.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced14 Jan
3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports29 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe boy's body was covered in multicoloured bruises on his eyes, ears, chest, back, legs and arms (irishtimes.com)
- whatMcGhee told the boy he had been 'bold' and confined him to his bedroom floor for days (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe paramedic found Mason in the foetal position with multicoloured bruises and a bump or haematoma on the back of his head (irishtimes.com)
- whatMason's pupils did not react to light, indicating a significant head injury (irishtimes.com)
- whatDr Niamh Mitchell noted multiple bruises on the forehead, around both eyes, right arm, and both legs including inner thighs (irishtimes.com)
- whatDr Stephen O'Riordan documented 17 areas of bruising or injury all over the body (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe child's father phoned emergency services saying his son had fallen from the top bunk of his bed and could not be roused (irishmirror.ie)
- whatParamedics found the boy lying on the floor of his bedroom, unresponsive (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMedical professionals noted numerous bruises of various ages on the child's face, head, torso and legs indicative of non-accidental injuries (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe child had been subjected to physical abuse for weeks and spent four days grounded before his stepmother shook him and struck his head off the floor (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe child suffered a blunt force injury to his abdomen that lacerated his liver (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA pathologist found that either the head injury or the liver injury would have caused death on its own (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe murder took place at a house in Rathbane, Limerick city (irishmirror.ie)
- whenMason was four-and-a-half years old when he died on 16 March 2021 (irishtimes.com)
- whenMason was found with serious injuries on 13 March 2021 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenMason was pronounced dead three days after being found injured (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe State Pathologist concluded the cause of death was a traumatic head injury in association with blunt force trauma to the abdomen (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe cause of death was a traumatic head injury in association with blunt-force trauma to the abdomen. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMcGhee pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin to murdering the boy on 13 March 2021 (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceMcGhee was sentenced to life, the mandatory term for murder (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceShe was sentenced to 4½ years for each of two child cruelty charges, to run concurrently. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceTegan McGhee was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Mason O'Connell Conway (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceJohn Paul O'Connell was previously sentenced to seven years in prison for endangerment, neglect and impeding McGhee's apprehension or prosecution (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceMcGhee was also sentenced to four years and six months for two counts of child cruelty, running concurrently with the life sentence (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMcGhee told gardaí she had shaken the child on 13 March 2021 and did not know how long for. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMcGhee was placed in foster care aged 14 after her mother died. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe child's mother is Elizabeth Conway (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMason was born in early 2016 (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe child's mother turned off her son's life support (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 14 Jan2026'Pure evil' stepmother who murdered 4 year-old boy in Limerick named in court
Reports the sentencing of Tegan McGhee to life imprisonment and four years and six months for child cruelty, provides trial evidence including the child's injuries, the father's account to emergency services, and the mother Elizabeth Conway's statement outside court.
victim, Mason O'Connell Conway, 4, male, irish (judged from name)Mason O'Connell Conwayconvicted, Tegan McGhee, 32, female, named, irish (judged from name)Tegan McGheeconvicted, John Paul O'Connell, 36, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Paul O'Connell - 14 Jan2026Limerick woman jailed for life for murder of boyfriend’s four-year-old son
Reports the sentencing of Tegan McGhee to life imprisonment for murder and concurrent 4½-year sentences for child cruelty, details of trial evidence including the cause of death and the child's injuries, and the victim's mother's statement outside court.
convicted, Tegan McGhee, 32, female, named, irish (judged from name)Tegan McGheevictim, 4, male, irish (judged from name)convicted, 36, male, irish (judged from name) - 14 Jan2026Tegan McGhee’s murder trial: The full story
Full-story piece published on the day of sentencing, providing detailed account of the abuse, hospital findings, postmortem evidence, and the life sentence imposed on McGhee, as well as background on the father's earlier seven-year sentence.
victim, Mason O'Connell-Conway, 4, male, irish (judged from name)Mason O'Connell-Conwayconvicted, Tegan McGhee, 32, female, named, irish (judged from name)Tegan McGheeconvicted, John Paul O'Connell, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Paul O'Connell