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\nKelly’s mother Julieanne Lynch, with Kelly’s Clothes<\/p>\n
There are renewed calls for the Minister for Justice to meet the family of a young Co Fermanagh woman found dead in a Monaghan canal with 93 injuries two years ago.<\/p>\n
Kelly Lynch, aged 23, was discovered in the Ulster Canal in Monaghan town on St Patrick’s Day 2024.<\/p>\n
Garda\u00ed believe she wandered off alone and fell from a bridge into the canal and are not treating her death as suspicious.<\/p>\n
However, a privately-funded forensic report concluded Ms Lynch was a victim of homicide, having suffered a violent physical assault.<\/p>\n
A new RT\u00c9 television documentary ‘The Girl in the Water’ highlighted the case once again last night.<\/p>\n
Aont\u00fa Senator Sarah O’Reilly – who is based in the Cavan-Monaghan constituency – said Minister Jim O’Callaghan should meet the family of Kelly Lynch, saying they deserve to be heard after years of seeking answers about the circumstances surrounding her death.<\/p>\n
\nKelly’s mother Julieanne Lynch, with Kelly’s Clothes<\/p>\n
Senator Reilly’s call echoes a similar one made previously by Sinn F\u00e9in justice spokesperson Matt Carthy.<\/p>\n
Ms Lynch’s parents have previously spoken of having 14 points of concern about the initial garda investigation into their daughter’s death.<\/p>\n
In October 2024, then garda commissioner Drew Harris initiated a peer review of the original investigation. This is not a re-opening of the case, but rather examination of the original investigation to identify if there are any potential additional lines of enquiry.<\/p>\n
This review is still ongoing.<\/p>\n
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\nKelly Lynch in her younger years<\/p>\n
“The handling of this case raises deeply troubling questions. The scene was not properly preserved, Kelly’s clothing was returned to her family without forensic testing, and despite Kelly suffering 93 injuries, her death was quickly treated as misadventure or suicide. Opportunities to gather vital evidence were lost.<\/p>\n
“While I welcome the Garda Commissioner’s decision to order a review, a review alone is not enough. The question is what changes because of it. What accountability will there be? What will change within An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na to ensure another family is never left in this position?” Senator O’Reilly said in the Seanad.<\/p>\n
She has also written to the Oireachtas Justice Committee seeking to have the Lynch family invited before TDs and senators to tell their story directly, saying there needs to be a case for all suspicious deaths to be fully investigated until proven otherwise.<\/p>\n