A Community in Mourning After Tragic Attack
A grieving father, seriously injured just days before, performed a final act of love for his wife by helping to carry her coffin at her funeral in Cork. Brian Gallagher, 63, attended the service for his wife Stella, 59, mere days after being discharged from Cork University Hospital where he underwent emergency neck surgery.
The Funeral of Stella Gallagher
The emotional funeral took place at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Ballinlough. Despite his own injuries, Brian Gallagher was among the pallbearers who carried his wife's coffin from the church. Stella was later laid to rest in St Michael's Cemetery in Blackrock. The service painted a picture of a woman deeply loved by her family and community.
During the ceremony, Brian's brother, Alan, paid a moving tribute to his late sister-in-law. He described Stella as having "an inbuilt generosity" and being a person who was "always doing things for others." He fondly recalled her habit of cooking excessive amounts of food, noting "When cooking for two people, she would cook enough for six."
Alan also highlighted Stella's passions, which included baking, gardening, and singing. "Stella was an excellent baker and got pleasure from giving you scones or sourdough bread or apple tarts," he told the congregation, as reported by the Irish Examiner. Her love for gardening was also profound; she would often lose track of time among her plants and was "like a child in a sweet shop" during a recent visit to the JFK arboretum.
Legal Proceedings and the Accused Son
The tragic circumstances leading to the funeral began on November 17, when Stella and Brian Gallagher were both rushed to hospital with stab wounds following an attack at their family home. Stella, a chemical engineer who had worked for many years at Eli Lilly in Cork, was pronounced dead. Brian survived but with serious injuries.
The couple's son, David Gallagher, has been charged with the murder of his mother and the assault causing harm to his father. He was detained for questioning at the Bridewell Garda Station before being formally charged.
At a court hearing, evidence was presented by Dt Sgt Niall Hayes of Blackrock Garda Station. Sgt John Kelleher stated that gardai would seek a remand in custody, with a hearing scheduled for November 26 at Cork District Court. Bail is not granted at the district court level for a murder charge.
Defence solicitor Shane Collins Daly applied for and was granted free legal aid for his client, who is unemployed. The solicitor also informed the court that Gallagher had been under regular medical supervision while in custody, receiving medication. A request for an urgent medical and psychiatric evaluation upon his arrival at Cork Prison was approved by Judge John King.
The judge remanded Gallagher in custody, ordering that he appear at his next hearing via video link and that he receive necessary medical care while in prison.
