Gerard Toal
Murderer
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- Gender
- male
- Country
- Ireland
- Location
- Faughart, County Louth, Ireland
- Date of birth
- 1909
- Age at first offence
- 18
- Characteristics
- —
- Victim profile
- Mary Callan, 36, a housekeeper
- Method of murder
- Strangulation
- Date(s) of murder
- May 27, 1927
- Years active
- 1927
- Date of arrest
- 1 year after
- Status
-
Executed
Executed by hanging at Dublin on August 29, 1928
Background
Gerard Toal was an eighteen year old chauffeur and odd job man. He was convicted of the murder of Mary Callan, a thirty six year old housekeeper.
Mary Callan and Toal were both employed by Father McKeown, an Irish priest.
In the summer of 1927, Callan, who worked as a priest’s housekeeper in Faughart Co Louth, vanished. Her disappearance shocked the rural neighbourhood and remained a mystery until her body was found at the bottom of a nearby quarry a year later.
The offence
Mary Callan was never seen alive again.
Toal confessed that he had strangled her after a quarrel and then thrown her body into the water filled quarry.
Investigation
On 27 May 1927, Father McKeown returned to the house and found that Mary had vanished. Her bicycle was also missing, and it was assumed that she had cycled home.
Police searched the farm and discovered part of a woman's bicycle in Toal's room. Toal claimed that he had found it. There was nothing to suggest that Toal was responsible for her disappearance, and he was released but kept under observation.
The following year, in April, Toal left the farm with the intention of emigrating to Canada. A couple of days later he was arrested in a neighbouring town and charged with stealing.
After Toal’s arrest, police made another, more thorough search of Father McKeown's farmhouse. They found more bicycle parts and some burnt female clothing.
The search was intensified, and Mary Callan's decomposed body was discovered in a nearby quarry.
Arrest
In April the following year, Toal left the farm with the intention of emigrating to Canada.
Trial
Toal was convicted at Dublin Assizes in July.
Sentencing
Toal was hanged by Thomas Pierrepoint in Dublin on the 29th August 1928.
Outcome
Gerard Toal was executed by hanging at Dublin on August 29, 1928.
Other details
The case involved Mary Callan, a priest’s housekeeper in Faughart Co Louth, who vanished in the summer of 1927. She remained missing until her body was found at the bottom of a nearby quarry a year later.
Toal was released initially because there was nothing to suggest he was responsible for her disappearance, though he was kept under observation.
It was well known that Toal and Mary Callan did not get along. All eyes turned to Toal after Callan’s disappearance.
“What motive did he have for killing Mary Callan?”
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