Raonaid Murray was an Irish teenager from Glenageary, South Dublin who was stabbed to death at the age of 17 years just a few hundred metres from her home in the early hours of 4th September 1999. As of October 2023, this murder case remains one of Ireland’s most high-profile unsolved cases. The murder weapon has not been located and no one has ever been charged with her murder. Each year her family and the Garda SÃochána (Irish Police) issue new appeals for fresh information.
The case has been compared in the media to other unsolved incidents such as the disappearance of schoolboy Philip Cairns in 1986 for its length and so many unanswered questions.
BACKGROUND
Raonaid Murray (Rainy to many of her friends) was born on 6th January 1982 to parents Jim and Deirdre Murray and she lived and grew up in Glenageary, a relatively middle-class suburb of South Dublin, Ireland. Her father was a teacher and had just become a school principal. Her mother had a career background in care therapy.
Raonaid is the Irish (Gaelic) name for Rachel. The youngest of three, she had an older brother (Daniel) and sister (Sarah).
She attended Saint Joseph of Cluny secondary school in Killiney where she achieved highly in her Junior Certificate before completing her Leaving Certificate examination in June 1999. During the summer, she began working part-time, first in a sweet shop at the ferry port, and then in early August at a fashion boutique in Dún Laoghaire Shopping Centre, about 15 minutes from her home. She intended to re-sit her Leaving Certificate at the Institute of Education in Leeson Street, Dublin City Centre in the hope she would qualify with enough college points to attend the arts faculty in University College Dublin (UCD) upon completion.
Raonaid liked reading and poetry, music and artwork with her favourite play being Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas. She hoped to one day be a success as a professional writer. She wore a blue stud in her nose, was known for dressing in bright colours and pursued a very active social life as opposed to some of the darker clothes her large friendship crew in Dún Laoghaire wore
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Hello Mick, The poignancy of Raonaid Murray's story is deeply moving. Your article not only sheds light on the tragedy but also brings to the forefront the enduring impact of such unsolved cases on families and communities. It's a stark reminder of the work that still needs to be done in the field of criminal justice and forensic science. I believe that sharing stories like Raonaid's keeps the hope for resolution alive and may one day lead to the closure her family deserves. I think these type of Stories should be Talked about on mainstream media and radio colombiana!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,