The parents of Robert Holohan were escorted from an Ennis court after the killer of their 11-year-old son was given a four-year sentence.
Mark and Majella Holohan, who were accompanied by Chief Supt Liam Hayes, declined to comment on whether they would appeal and thanked those who assisted in the 11-day search for her son's body after it had been dumped miles from their home at Inch Strand.
"I'd like to thank the searchers who brought our little boy back, and I hope that you'll respect our privacy now to grieve for Rob. We will never forget him," Mrs Holohan said.
"I'd like to thank you for your help in the searching for Rob because otherwise he'd still be lying in a ditch in Inch."
One of those who assisted in the search was her son's killer, and barely two hours earlier, Mrs Holohan said questions remained unanswered.
She asked why was Robert killed for throwing stones. O'Donoghue gave evidence that he accidentally killed her son while wrestling him after he had thrown stones at his car. The families were next-door neighbours.
She also questioned why Robert was in Wayne O'Donoghue's bedroom at 7.20am on the morning of his death when he was supposedly at a sleepover with a friend.
Why had images had been deleted from his mobile phone; why were his finger-prints wiped clean; why did Robert ring 999 later that morning, she asked.
She said there had been no forensic evidence that stones had hit the car and questioned why there were no fingerprints found on her son's mobile phone.
"Whatever happens here today, even if we do move home, even if we do leave the country, there is no place to hide from this nightmare. This is the situation we face every day," she said.
Ms Holohan also claimed semen had been found on her dead son's body.
Speaking on the steps of Ennis courthouse, O'Donoghue's solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said his client totally denied that he was responsible for the semen found.
"Wayne denies any impropriety of any kind whatsoever with regard to that. I repeat, all relevant evidence was led by the prosecution in this particular trial. The trial was conducted quite properly."
Mr Buttimer said O'Donoghue was relieved at the sentence. "He accepts the penalty of the court. I believe his family are relieved, firstly that the proceedings are over, and I believe that they are satisfied that the sentence is a balanced and fair sentence."
He added: "He [Wayne] understands that there is a high degree of emotion and, other than that, those matters are for the Holohans to deal with." Mr Buttimer said he saw no reason to appeal the sentence which he said was completely fair and reasonable.
Mr Buttimer said the family wanted to thank Judge Paul Carney and the jury for the care and attention they had given to the very difficult matters before them. "He and his family repeat an expression of sympathy for Mark and Majella Holohan and their family," the solicitor added.
"Wayne O'Donoghue would very much like to thank most sincerely all the people who have expressed support, sympathy, care and concern for him throughout these extremely difficult times."