The third episode in a true-crime series on TG4 on 5 April will recall the brutal murder of 69-year-old bachelor Josie Joyce in Co. Mayo.
MARÚ INÁR MEASC will look back at the events of 3 September 1983, when Josie was stabbed to death close to 40 times in a frenzied attack as he walked home from the pub in Westport.
The search for his killer brought the town of Westport to a standstill and his brutal murder left a long-lasting impact on this idyllic rural seaside town.
It was the eve of the All Ireland Hurling final and Josie Joyce, described by all who knew him as a true expert in all things GAA, was enjoying the evening in the local pubs, listening to music and predicting the outcome of the game.
Josie left a pub called Sally O’Briens and walked his usual route towards home. He never made it home that night as not long into his journey he was stabbed to death ferociously and his body was put over a wall by the Holy Trinity church.
He didn’t know his killer and the local people of Westport lived in fear until they were tracked down by the Gardaí.
The documentary features John Joyce who remembers his uncle fondly and recounts that fatal night that changed his life forever and the innocence of their beloved town.
Christy Hyland, a former detective who was a young member of the Gardaí in 1983, recalls the forward-thinking of the force of the time to secure a conviction of Josie’s killer and tells the audience how this case will forever haunt him.
The series, by Midas Productions for TG4, shines a light on the effect that fatal crimes have on society, local communities and on the victim’s families as they are left without answers.
This series could not have been made without the cooperation of each family and loved ones who shared their story and allowed them the privilege of filming with them.
