The partner of a man found in a run-off tank on her land has begun giving evidence at the trial of a former lover accused of his murder.

Patrick Quirke of Breanshamore in Co Tipperary has pleaded not guilty to murdering 52-year-old DJ Bobby Ryan.

Mrs Lowry said she began an intimate relationship with Mr Quirke in early 2008, a few months after her husband died.

She said he leased the farm from her and helped her with her finances.

Mrs Lowry described their affair as “seedy” and said she brought it to an end.

They broke up during the summer of 2010, and she started seeing local DJ Bobby Ryan soon afterwards.

In 2008, she said she agreed to leave Mr Quirke and his wife €100,000 to look after her children if anything happened to her.

However, she changed that without his knowledge after the break up, which she said he didn't take very well.

Mr Ryan went missing after leaving her home at 6:30am on June 3rd 2011.

Mrs Lowry said they made love before he left and she never saw him again.

She told the jury she noticed the accused passing up her driveway two hours later, and she thought it was very unusual to see him there that early.

She said he was wearing green overalls and looked "very hot and sweaty and was bothered looking".

Mrs Lowry will continue her evidence when the trial resumes tomorrow.

It is the prosecution’s case that Mr Quirke murdered Mr Ryan some time between the date he went missing June 3rd 2011 and the date his body was found in a tank on Mrs Lowry’s farm on April 13th 2013.

Mr Quirke denies the murder charge.