Senior lawyer Diarmuid Phelan remanded in custody after being charged with murder of Tallaght dad Keith Conlon

• Published date: 25 February 2022
• Author: Tom Tuite
• Publication title: DublinLive (Ireland)

Diarmuid Phelan, 53, appeared before Judge Patricia McNamara this morning at Tallaght District Court

Mr Phelan, a senior counsel and law lecturer, of Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, is accused of the murder of Mr Conlon at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, on Tuesday.

The deceased was a father of four from nearby Kiltalown Park.

The dog breeder was severely injured in the shooting incident at the foot of the Dublin mountains on Tuesday afternoon.

Gardai and emergency services arrived just after 1pm.

Mr Conlon was rushed to Tallaght University Hospital, where he remained on life support until he passed away on Thursday.

Gardai had arrested the accused at the scene and detained him at Tallaght station under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939.

The legal professional and academic was charged on Thursday at 11.23 pm and held pending his court appearance on Friday morning. Friends of Mr Conlon waited outside the courthouse.

Dressed in a black suit, facemask and open-necked white shirt, he was escorted into court after his case was the first to be called. He stood and acknowledged the judge when she read out his name.

He then sat silently facing forward as Detective Garda Michael McGrath gave the evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He told Judge McNamara he arrested Mr Phelan "for the offence of murder of Keith Conlon on February 22".

Detective Garda McGrath said the station sergeant charged the accused, and he was handed a copy of the charge sheet.

"He made no reply to charge...