Blackwater Lodge sightings dismissed
Related Articles
Wednesday August 25 2010
WITH THE sightings of Larry Murphy in Courtown put to rest on Saturday, stories began to emerge on Sunday that he had tried to check into the Blackwater Lodge on Saturday afternoon.
The story went that a man matching his description had tried to check into the Blackwater Lodge, but wasn't given a room. It was also claimed he had asked for a drink but was refused. This was later disputed, and that he had simply asked for directions to reception.
When he couldn't get a room, he drove off. Staff began to speculate that the man may have been Larry Murphy, and they phoned the Gardai who arrived at the hotel and examined video footage. They left without saying whether or not it was him, but took particular note of the make and model of car he was driving.
The hotel's manager this week confirmed that a man had indeed tried to check into the hotel, and that Gardai had visited afterwards. 'We had a full house,' she said. 'If he had been Julia Roberts, he wouldn't have gotten a room.' She said they had no confirmation on the man's identity.
Gardai in Enniscorthy later said that there had been no positive sightings of Murphy in the area. They said they were getting lots of calls, but nothing was confirmed. Superintendent Peter Finn also dismissed the sighting in Blackwater as 'rubbish'. He said Larry Murphy hadn't been seen in the area and isn't in the area.
Reports that Gardai had warned women not to go walking alone in Curracloe on Saturday evening have also been discounted.
