On the night of September, the 4th 1992, Esther and Jessica McCann went to sleep and never woke up.

The 36-year-old mother and her 18-month-old-toddler died when a fire swept through the house. It was a tragic loss of life.

The young mother had been trying to adopt the little girl she had fostered since her birth. They were inseparable. And it followed a series of events in the home that baffled Esther, her husband, and her family.

Was there something more sinister at play here?

In this episode of Lines of Enquiry, John Sweetman takes us through the events leading up to that tragic house fire and how a dark secret from the past lurked in the corner.

We now have an instagram page, we would appreciate if you could please follow the podcast here: https://www.instagram.com/linesofenquirypodcast/

Presented by John Sweetman

Created by Darren Cleary

Episode Written by Siobhan Maguire

Script Edited by Eoin Brennan

Produced by Siobhan Walsh

Produced by Siobhan Maguire

Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan

Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons

Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh

Audio Editing Support by Ed Smith

Marketing Support by Bríd Walsh and Róisín Reilly

Social Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree

Artwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree

In this episode of Lines of Enquiry: Case Notes, John Sweetman is joined by one of Ireland’s leading true crime podcasters, Nules Ní Chléirigh, creator and host of Ireland Crimes and Mysteries.

John and Nules reflect on what draws them to the stories of some of Ireland’s biggest crimes, the realities of working on cases with no clear resolution, and the importance of ethical storytelling when dealing with victims and their families.

They share some of the most impactful cases they have worked on, including those where the smallest detail made a critical difference, and others that have stayed with them long after recording.

The conversation also explores how true crime has evolved as a genre, and the role it can play in prevention, awareness, and in keeping the memory of victims alive.

If you’d like to get in touch, you can email the show at LinesOfEnquiry@goloudnow.com and follow @linesofenquirypodcast on Instagram.

28 year old mother of two Jasmine McMonagle loved to write and longed to be a children's author one day.

In 2019, a letter she wrote was sent to the Garda Technical Bureau for examination. In the letter, Jasmine wrote of being held hostage in her own home, of threats against her and her daughters, and of how she would no longer live in fear.

In this episode of Lines of Enquiry, John explains how that letter ended up on his desk, and he looks back on a tragic story of rage, loss and bravery, and of a family torn apart by violence.

We now have an instagram page, we would appreciate if you could please follow the podcast here: https://www.instagram.com/linesofenquirypodcast/

Presented by John Sweetman

Created by Darren Cleary

Episode Written by John Sweetman

Script Edited by Eoin Brennan

Produced by Siobhan Walsh

Produced by Siobhan Maguire

Executive Produced by Eoin Brennan

Executive Produced by Ruth Fitzsimons

Sound Design and Editing by Neil Kavanagh

Audio Editing Support by Ed Smith

Marketing Support by Bríd Walsh and Róisín Reilly

Social Support by Mark Hayes and Robyn Ree

Artwork and Graphics by Eric Rowntree