A wealthy 75-year-old farmer passed away only one day after marrying his 50-year-old carer, causing suspicions and family concerns.
Joseph Grogan died at his home on April 15, 2023, just a day after marrying Lisa Flaherty at a registry office. He had been diagnosed with late-stage non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma earlier that year but was believed to be responding to treatment despite some infections.
His body was embalmed just hours after his death, which made it impossible for experts to run full tests to find out exactly how he died. The coroner said this quick embalming made the investigation more difficult.
A lawyer speaking for Mr Grogan’s elderly aunt said there were still many unanswered questions. Another lawyer, representing his cousins, called the death sudden and mysterious and demanded a thorough investigation. He mentioned that both the local people and doctors were worried about the situation.
The pathologist who examined Mr Grogan said his cancer and organ failure were not the main reasons for his death. He warned that the three drugs prescribed to him could have affected his breathing or nervous system if not used properly, but they couldn’t check the drug levels because the body was embalmed too soon.
Ms Flaherty claimed she had been with Mr Grogan since she was 16, which upset the Grogan family. They were also worried that the marriage had been kept secret — even her own sister didn’t know about it until the next day.
The coroner said he would not comment on whether the marriage was valid but would only focus on how Mr Grogan died.
Ms Flaherty’s lawyer denied any wrongdoing on her part. He said she had cared for Mr Grogan when no one else had and criticized the inquest for treating her unfairly.
On the day Mr Grogan died, a neighbour who was also a psychiatric nurse with palliative care training — and Lisa Flaherty’s sister — was at the house. They were told palliative care wouldn’t be available until Monday. Mr Grogan reportedly said he wanted to stay home.
More questions came up about how the body was taken away. A lorry driver who also works as a part-time undertaker said he took Mr Grogan’s body around 7:30 p.m. after being told a doctor had given permission. He later said he hadn’t seen a death certificate and admitted the doctor wasn’t Mr Grogan’s personal doctor and wasn’t allowed to give that permission.
In the end, the coroner ruled that Mr Grogan likely died from an infection, worsened by his weak immune system caused by cancer and its treatment. He added that although people had valid concerns about how Mr Grogan was cared for, the man himself had not wanted to go to the hospital.
The inquest, which lasted three days and ended on July 16, closed with Ms Flaherty crying as she left court. She is now expected to inherit Mr Grogan’s 220-acre farm, worth €5.5 million.
