A Co Down man has been found guilty of the manslaughter of three elderly sisters who died in a house fire on Inishbofin Island two years ago.
The jury of six women and six men at Galway Circuit Criminal Court returned a unanimous guilty verdict on seven charges on the third day of their deliberations.
Alan Murphy, (27) from Spelga Avenue, Newcastle, Co Down, had denied the manslaughter of Eileen Coyne (81), at Middlequarter, Inishbofin, on July 6th, 1999.
He also denied the manslaughter of her two sisters, Bridget McFadden (80) and Margaret Baby Concannon (72), and to setting fire to Mrs Coyne's house on the same date, endangering the lives of the three sisters.
Judge Carroll Moran adjourned sentencing to April 24th.
