Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee – the Sligo murder victims who will never be forgotten
They didn’t know each other but Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee will be forever connected through their horrific deaths in their own homes in Sligo. Paul Deering and Gerry McLaughlin profile the two men whose deaths shocked and sent fear and sorrow through the community.
Sligo has been fondly recalling this week the two men who were horrifically murdered in their homes. It’s clear they were much loved not only by their families but in the community and workplaces where they intermingled.
Michael Snee (58) originally came from the Cranmore area of Sligo where the family is well liked and respected.
Their home was at McNeill Drive and Michael had a happy upbringing with his parents, Phil and John and sisters Tina and Mary.
He was a keen Irish dancer in his youth and his mum would bring him regularly to various feiseanna.
Michael was noted for his caring and kind nature from an early age and was extremely good to his neighbours in Cranmore particularly the elderly.
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Michael became a porter at St John’s Community Hospital and later became a carer.
Both staff and residents loved Michael. His humour and gentle nature was much appreciated.
He spent many years employed at the hospital and he was sadly missed on his retirement.
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Michael, a separated man, moved to Dromahair some time ago with a partner and but returned to Sligo in recent times where he lived alone at City View, his residence for some five years.
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In recent times Michael suffered from failing eyesight and wasn’t believed to be working at the time of his tragic death.
Sligo People Before Profit Councillor Gino O’Boyle said that the area where murder victim Michael Snee lived had a number of elderly people which meant that they were more vulnerable.
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Aidan Moffitt, who was single, ran his own auctioneering firm Hazelfort and was also a financial advisor.
He was a much respected and well liked businessman in Sligo where he previously worked for Bank of Ireland and Irish Life.
The Lisacul, Ballaghaderreen native, who moved to Sligo well over ten years ago, had recently returned from a short holiday in Spain.
He has been described as very friendly and sociable by friends and he had a great fondness for horse racing.
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Mr Moffitt, a Peace Commissioner, played a leading role in the Fine Gael party locally and was well known for his expertise in running election campaigns.
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Mr Moffitt held the post of secretary of the party’s Sligo/Leitrim Constituency Executive while he was the current chairman of the Sligo/Strandhill District of the party, planning for the next local elections in two years.
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Mayor of the Borough District of Sligo Arthur Gibbons paid a warm tribute to Aidan Moffitt and said there was a dark cloud over the area and people were fearful and anxious.
“There is family out there devastated, there’s a community there in Cartron Heights [greatly saddened].
“There are flowers outside the house and there is huge dismay, disbelief and sorrow that people feel for his family.
“He was a young man of 42 years of age and no family should ever be given that news.
“I’d like to offer my condolences to Aidan’s family and I’m sure I speak for the whole lot of Cartron Heights and Cartron Bay in relation to that. He was a neighbour and a good neighbour at that who kept himself to himself.”
Councillor O’Boyle said he had known the deceased man Mr Moffitt from the time he had worked in a local pub.
“I knew him fairly well and also through the politics as myself and Blaine Gaffney get on well and I knew he went around canvassing for Blaine so we used to have a bit of banter at the time of the elections.
“Aidan was a very nice fellow, a positive man and well educated. And he was very good with people and a bit of a character in his own way.
“When he would be in having a pint, you could have great craic with him”.
He added: “He was also very funny and very bright.
"And he was a very good businessman and knew his stuff and will be a loss to the business community."
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Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said he was “shocked” and “worried” by the two murders.
“I just really wanted to say that I have been speaking to our members in Sligo and I just really wanted to say how shocked and worried I am by the two murders that have occurred in Sligo over the past few days.
“I know people in Sligo are really shocked, the LGBT community is really worried about what this represents and I would encourage anyone to pass on whatever information they have to the gardai even if they don’t think it’s particularly relevant.
“This is kind of scary, Ireland is a welcoming country for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in the main, it is a safe country in which to be a gay person but I think a lot of us had hoped we had put these kind of attacks behind us,” he said.
Sinn Féin MEP for Midlands Northwest Chris MacManus has described the murders of Mr Moffitt and Mr Snee as a callous attack.
MacManus said: “Firstly, let me say we stand with every member of the LGBTI+ community.
“Your diversity should be celebrated and protected and never threatened.
“The people of Sligo and indeed the entire island of Ireland stands with you.
"The murders of Aidan and Michael are an example of humanity at its worst. Hate crimes are an attack on freedom, compassion and love. Such actions will not be tolerated.
“My sincere condolences go to the families, friends and neighbours of Aidan and Michael at this time.
“I cannot imagine how devastating this news is for people close to the victims.
“This is a needless loss of life and the people of Sligo are in shock.
“The violent nature of these deaths is very worrying and It’s very hard for anyone to make any sense of what has happened.”
MacManus concluded: “We must trust and support the investigative process and any subsequent judicial procedures.
“These events must not lead to hate of any other minority community. Hate brought us here. Only understanding and compassion can bring us to a better place as a community,” he said.
(Very long article; more at link)
