Lines of Enquiry

In this episode of Lines of Enquiry: Case Notes, John is joined by Frank Greaney, Courts Correspondent and award-winning journalist and broadcaster.
Frank has spent much of his career reporting from courtrooms on some of the most high-profile criminal trials in Ireland, including several we have covered on Lines of Enquiry.
He reflects on the responsibility that comes with reporting on live cases, the legal restrictions that shape what can and cannot be said publicly, and the importance of accuracy, fairness and restraint when covering criminal trials.
Frank discusses the pressure of reporting on cases under intense public scrutiny, including the murder trial of Ana Kriegel, where he was present throughout the proceedings as a daily court reporter. He also speaks about the murder of Patricia O’Connor, a case he covered extensively in court and later explored in his book Crowded House, as well as through his script for Lines of Enquiry.

Hi! John here. I just wanted to drop in with a recommendation.
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In this episode of Lines of Enquiry: Case Notes, John is joined by Geoff Knupfer, former lead investigator with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains.
For almost two decades, Geoff led searches for some of the Disappeared, those abducted, murdered and secretly buried during the Troubles, helping to return loved ones to families who had spent years waiting for answers.
Geoff reflects on the unique challenge of turning the commission from a reactive process into a proactive investigative operation, and the importance of approaching the work as a humanitarian mission rather than a criminal investigation. He discusses the care and persistence required to build trust, recover remains, support families and work within strict legal limits.
Before his work with the commission, Geoff spent 30 years with Greater Manchester Police, where he was involved in major investigations and cold case reviews, including the continued search for victims of the Moors murders. He reflects on how that experience shaped his understanding of unresolved loss, forensic recovery and the long search for truth.
If you have information for the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains, you can email secretary@iclvr.ie or leave a confidential voice message on +353 1 602 8655.

Are you a fan of Lines of Enquiry and narrative podcasts?
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In the early hours of Thursday, the 13th of February, 1997, 17-year-old Ciara Breen disappeared from her home on Bachelor’s Walk in Dundalk. Her bed was empty. The front window had been left open. There was no packed bag, no money missing, and nothing to suggest she had planned to stay away.

At first, it looked like Ciara had slipped out quietly into the night, leaving herself a way back in. But what began as a missing person investigation would become something far more complex. Over the years that followed, Gardaí would follow rumours, witness accounts, public appeals and searches through difficult ground, as one question continued to haunt Ciara’s family and the town she vanished from. What happened after Ciara left that house?

Presented by John Sweetman
Created by Darren Cleary
Episode Written by Darren Cleary
Script Edited by Eoin Brennan
Produced by Siobhan Walsh
Produced by Siobhán Maguire
Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan
Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons
Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh
Audio Editing Support by Ed Smith
Marketing Support by Laura Bracken and Róisín Reilly
Social Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree
Artwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree