A farm hand who worked with Patrick Quirke has told the Tipperary murder trial that he didn't know about the run-off tank where Bobby Ryan’s body was found.
Mr Quirke, a 50-year-old farmer from Breanshamore, County Tipperary denies murdering the local DJ, who was known locally as Mr. Moonlight.
Patrick Quirke is accused of murdering his ex-lover’s boyfriend sometime between June 3rd 2011 and April 30th 2013.
Bobby Ryan’s last reported sighting was leaving Mary Lowry’s home 22 months before the accused found his body in a run-off tank on her farm.
This morning, the jury resumed hearing evidence in the trial, following two days of legal argument in their absence.
Farm hand Gary Cunningham told the jury he used to help Mr Quirke on his home farm and on Mrs Lowry’s farm – which was leased by the accused.
He said he wasn't aware of the tank where Mr Ryan’s body was found.
He said he remembered “one quick conversation” with Mr Quirke following the discovery of the body.
He said he remembered being asked if he heard the “rumours” about what happened to Bobby.
He told the court he could not recall his response but remembered Mr Quirke saying he had heard a rumour about a “Polish group.”
Another farm worker called Emmet Kenny said nobody ever told him about the tank.
He said he was never asked to fence it off and thought it was a septic tank.
Reporting from Frank Greaney at the Central Criminal Court
