Five teenagers dead, three sisters and a seven-year-old boy seriously injured, and a wave of public outrage in the wake of the horrific wrong-way crash on the M9 motorway last weekend.

In the days since, the tragedy has sparked a huge amount of anger and debate around youth crime, garda powers, social media and even the role of parents.

Has this incident exposed a much bigger problem in Irish society?

And are we witnessing an unprecedented social reckoning unfold?

On this Extra episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Kevin Doyle, executive editor with the Irish Independent and group head of news at Mediahuis Ireland, to examine the public, police and political reaction to a story that continues to dominate the news agenda.

The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism

Five teenagers dead, three sisters and a seven-year-old boy seriously injured, and a wave of public outrage in the wake of the horrific wrong-way crash on the M9 motorway last weekend.
In the days since, the tragedy has sparked a huge amount of anger and debate around youth crime, garda powers, social media and even the role of parents.
Has this incident exposed a much bigger problem in Irish society?
And are we witnessing an unprecedented social reckoning unfold?
On this Extra episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Kevin Doyle, executive editor with the Irish Independent and group head of news at Mediahuis Ireland, to examine the public, police and political reaction to a story that continues to dominate the news agenda.
The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at <a href="https://independent.ie/ourjournalism" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" title="https://independent.ie/ourjournalism">independent.ie/ourjournalism</a>

Stay in the know, on the go. The Indo Daily brings you in-depth, 20 minute stories that fit into your day.

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Extra: “Almost zero sympathy for dead children” – unprecedented reaction to M9 crash

The Sand and Sage motel in Odessa, Texas was the kind of rough outpost that attracted lonesome drifters and hard drinkers.

In other words, if you were of a sensitive disposition or simply happened to wander off the beaten track, it was probably best if you found somewhere else to bed down for the night.

By the early 1980s, Odessa was regarded as the murder capital of the United States. And so, the discovery of a body, bound and beaten, in a blood-soaked room at the Sand and Sage wasn’t all that shocking to the local authorities.

However, there was one piece that didn’t fit. The victim - Father Patrick Ryan.

One man would answer for this brutal crime. The wrong man.

On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Allison Clayton, deputy director of the Innocence Project of Texas, and by Deborah Esqeunazi, director of the documentary Night in West Texas, to look at a vicious murder of an Irish priest, a miscarriage of justice and a cold case that keeps raising questions.

This episode was first released in April 2026

The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism

The Sand and Sage motel in Odessa, Texas was the kind of rough outpost that attracted lonesome drifters and hard drinkers.
In other words, if you were of a sensitive disposition or simply happened to wander off the beaten track, it was probably best if you found somewhere else to bed down for the night.
By the early 1980s, Odessa was regarded as the murder capital of the United States. And so, the discovery of a body, bound and beaten, in a blood-soaked room at the Sand and Sage wasn’t all that shocking to the local authorities.
However, there was one piece that didn’t fit. The victim - Father Patrick Ryan.
One man would answer for this brutal crime. The wrong man.
On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Allison Clayton, deputy director of the Innocence Project of Texas, and by Deborah Esqeunazi, director of the documentary Night in West Texas, to look at a vicious murder of an Irish priest, a miscarriage of justice and a cold case that keeps raising questions.
This episode was first released in April 2026
The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at <a href="https://independent.ie/ourjournalism" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">independent.ie/ourjournalism</a>

The murdered Irish priest, the gay Native American and the 40-year cold case

It was supposed to be an oral record of the Troubles, made by those who were there.

Initially, the ‘Boston Tapes’ project seemed like a good idea, albeit one which would unavoidably include descriptions of violence and terror.

The concept was simple – former paramilitaries would be interviewed; the tapes would then be kept in storage, and their stories only revealed after the interviewees' deaths.

However, it became clear that the scheme was flawed and that the recordings were not as secret as participants had assumed.

Earlier this year, the Belfast Telegraph revealed that the Boston College tapes archive has been formally closed - and will remain shut for 75 years from when it was first created.

On this episode, host Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraph reporter, Andrew Madden, to look at what went wrong with the project and why the records have been sealed.

This episode is brought to you by our sister podcast The BelTel and was first released in April 2026.

The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism

It was supposed to be an oral record of the Troubles, made by those who were there.
Initially, the ‘Boston Tapes’ project seemed like a good idea, albeit one which would unavoidably include descriptions of violence and terror.
The concept was simple – former paramilitaries would be interviewed; the tapes would then be kept in storage, and their stories only revealed after the interviewees' deaths.
However, it became clear that the scheme was flawed and that the recordings were not as secret as participants had assumed.
Earlier this year, the Belfast Telegraph revealed that the Boston College tapes archive has been formally closed - and will remain shut for 75 years from when it was first created.
On this episode, host Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraph reporter, Andrew Madden, to look at what went wrong with the project and why the records have been sealed.
This episode is brought to you by our sister podcast The BelTel and was first released in April 2026.
The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at <a href="https://independent.ie/ourjournalism" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">independent.ie/ourjournalism</a>

How a secret academic project blew open the Troubles’ darkest murder cases

Carrie Jade Williams. Sadie Harris. Lucy Fitzwilliams. Jade Cookes. Samantha Black. Rebecca Fitzgerald.  


These are just some of the fabricated identities used by serial con artist Samantha Cookes.  


In 2024, her Walter Mitty-style life finally collapsed as online communities, journalists and a WhatsApp group of victims cross-referenced the inconsistencies in her story, joining the dots that authorities had missed.  


In March 2025, Samantha Cookes was jailed for three years for deception and theft.  


Yet her story keeps getting fresh chapters.  


On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Katie Byrne is joined by Alan Bradley, documentary filmmaker and author of Unmasking Samantha Cookes: The Many Lives of a Serial Fraudster, to discuss the breadth and the impact of an incredible deception.

This episode of The Indo Daily was first released in May 2026

The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism

Carrie Jade Williams. Sadie Harris. Lucy Fitzwilliams. Jade Cookes. Samantha Black. Rebecca Fitzgerald.&nbsp; 
 
These are just some of the fabricated identities used by serial con artist Samantha Cookes.&nbsp; 
 
In 2024, her Walter Mitty-style life finally collapsed as online communities, journalists and a WhatsApp group of victims cross-referenced the inconsistencies in her story, joining the dots that authorities had missed.&nbsp; 
 
In March 2025, Samantha Cookes was jailed for three years for deception and theft.&nbsp; 
 
Yet her story keeps getting fresh chapters.&nbsp; 
 
On this episode of&nbsp;The Indo Daily, host Katie Byrne is joined by Alan Bradley, documentary filmmaker and author of Unmasking Samantha Cookes: The Many Lives of a Serial Fraudster, to discuss the breadth and the impact of an incredible deception.
This episode of The Indo Daily was first released in May&nbsp;2026
The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at <a href="https://independent.ie/ourjournalism" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">independent.ie/ourjournalism</a>

Extra: “Almost zero sympathy for dead children” – unprecedented reaction to M9 crash

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