55 - Murder by Arson: The McCann Family

In the summer of 1992, the McCann Family endured a series of gas leaks in their home, and a spate of threatening phone calls. These nuisances escalated quickly though, and culminated in a raging fire in their Rathfarnham home. Esther McCann and her foster daughter, Jessica, died in the blaze.

Investigators ruled that this was a case of arson, and gardai quickly discovered that Frank McCann - the grieving father and husband - had some dark secrets. 

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Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Additional Music:   Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sources:

“Sex abuse that beggars belief” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/sex-abuse-that-beggars-belief-26200037.html (30 January 1998) 

Ray Managh, “Family claim against killer of daughter and her child” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/family-claim-against-killer-of-daughter-and-her-child-26180722.html (17 July 1998) 

Ray Managh, “McCann to renew appeal on wife killing” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/mccann-to-renew-appeal-on-wife-killing-26176066.html (1 August 1998) 

Ray Managh, “Blaze victim's mother wins £90,000 payout” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/blaze-victims-mother-wins-90000-payout-26171143.html (9 October 1998) 

Bernie O'Toole, “Wife murderer 'quite capable of killing again” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/wife-murderer-quite-capable-of-killing-again-26171294.html (10 October 1998) 

Nicola Tallant, “No remorse from killer who burned wife, baby to death” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/no-remorse-from-killer-who-burned-wife-baby-to-death-26418038.html (29 October 2006) 

Catherine Murphy, “We won't be safe is my sister's killer is released” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/we-wont-be-safe-if-my-sisters-killer-is-released-26893675.html (2 September 2012) 

Conor Feehan, “Pictured: Double murderer serving life for killing wife and daughter gets taste of freedom with new prison job” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/pictured-double-murderer-serving-life-for-killing-wife-and-daughter-gets-a-taste-of-freedom-with-new-prison-job-35948540.html (19 July 2017) 

Conor Feehan, “'He Should never be free' – family's horror as killer prepares for release” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/he-should-never-be-free-familys-horror-as-killer-prepares-for-release-38165850.html (31 May 2019) 

Paul O'Neill and Frank McNally, “The 'distraught husband' who was unmasked as a cold killer” in The Irish Times (16 August 1996) p 6. 

“McCann sits impassively as verdict is read to court” in The Irish Times (16 August 1996) p 6. 

Frank McNally and Paul O'Neill, “Charismatic figure with reputation for clean living” in The Irish Times (16 August 1996) p 6. 

Frank McNally and Paul O'Neill, “A loving woman unaware of sinister developments” in The Irish Times (16 August 1996) p 6. 

“Garda shown mass card addressed to publican” in The Irish Times (13 January 1994) p 5. 

“Jury in trial of publican charged with murder may retire today” in The Irish Times (13 August 1996) p 3. 

Frank McNally, “Frank McCann: Consummate actor' and calculating killer” in The Irish Times (17 August 1996) p 7. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/frank-mccann-consummate-actor-and-calculating-killer-1.77547

“Jurors told the State has no case against defendant in murder trial” in The Irish Times (14 August 1996) p 5. 

 “Blowtorch had been turned to 'on' position says detective” in The Irish Times (18 January 1994) p 17. 

“Brothers were told of suicide pact, trial hears” in The Irish Times (1 August 1996) p 6.

“Murder accused claims gardai threatened him at interview” in The Irish Times (7 August 1996) p 3. 

“Judge alerts the jury to unsupported evidence in publican's murder trial” in The Irish Times (15 August 1996) p 7. 

"Trial told about death of woman and child” in The Irish Times (20 June 1996) p 4. 

“Fire as described to gardai would have injured arsonist, scientist tells trial” in The Irish Times (10 August 1996) p 3. 

“Publican says wife was told of adoption problem with baby before fatal fire” in The Irish Times (8 August 1996) p 4. 

“Decision today on murder case” in The Irish Times (31 January 1994) p 4. 

Frank McNally, “Publican sentenced to life for murder of wife, baby” in The Irish Times (16 August 1996) p 1. 

“Man in murder case remanded” in The Irish Times (27 April 1993) p 3

“Gardai to investigate threat to husband” in The Irish Times (9 September 1992) p 3. 

Paul O'Neill, “Fatal fire investigated” in The Irish Times (5 September 1992) p 4. 

Stephen Rae, Killers; Murders in Ireland (Dublin: Blackwater Press, 1998) p.p. 21-38.