The Words Of West Cork: Episode Three

On this page you’ll find the words that are analysed in the third episode of The Words of West Cork Podcast.

If you have any comments, questions or queries on the episode please leave them in the comments at the bottom of this article. Or email info@neveratruerword.com if you’d prefer. We’ll incorporate some of the feedback into the final episode of the podcast.

Billy Fuller - Visit to Ian Bailey

So I actually went up to .. as a friend to tell him what people were saying about him, you know

I went round his house, innocently knocked on the door, he came to the door, let me in, he was sat down, he had like drink everywhere, and like rich food and all this stuff and he said oh do you want a glass of cider and I said I’m actually working I said but I just popped into see you. He was relaxed until I came out with what people are saying about him, that he’d be howling at the moon and stuff.

Straight away, bang! He just went into a complete meltdown, look, there's like he moved from where he was and he went white knuckled and his face changed and he grabbed hold of the thing behind like this and he was astonished.

And he was like, you fucker like this to me and I was like what?

He said you saw her in Spar the day before she was killed and you saw her tight arse and you wanted to give her one. He said that when you went to her house about two o'clock in the morning, she ran away screaming because you scared her. You chased her to calm her down, threw something at her head and realised you went too far.

And I went ….. where did that even come from? It felt like he was saying what he did but through me, you know? I was scared when I left his house. I’ve just been sat with someone really fucking dangerous here like like you know, and I felt scared.

(When he was telling you the story, did it feel like some form of confession?)

Oh definitely yeah definitely I'd say by the by the way he did it to all the other people that he'd confessed to

Louise Kennedy - the fire

My name is Louise Kennedy. I'm a.. I live in Lissacaha. I went for a walk on the 26th of December, St. Stephen's day and I saw a fire burning behind the studio. I just thought it was unusual. I thought maybe he was burning, you know, maybe getting rid of the evidence. I mean, I can't say that I’m.. I’m not 100% sure.. I… but that's what I thought. That's why I suppose I told the Guards maybe ..

Florence Newman - the scratches

The Christmas swim is always you know a wonderful  social occasion for the community. So I just went down to the swim. When I saw Ian, a very striking person, a very tall, strong man. I shook hands with him and I noticed markings on his hand. Kind of parallel lines, maybe four or five or six across the back of his hand. There was a uniformity to them, is what I would say. The timeframe caused me to wonder, that's all. I just thought it was a curious thing, is what I would say. I told my family and I just sort of wondered aloud ,shall we say that's all.

The Police - an imposing man

Ian Bailey is about six foot three, he was a very imposing man, full of confidence. And he was a very good speaker. We sat down. He made very good coffee too as a matter of fact. Oh I would look.. yeah he was.. he told the fricking country the day we left, ..eating two mince pies.

I was fascinated, everything I heard about him. he was sizing me up and I was sizing him up, Kind of a friendly conversation but it was probing on both sides. Bailey’s a complex character you know, he’s a complex character and I said Ian we better talk about this murder.

Jules Thomas - being arrested

Two guards came to the back door. They came and they sat down at the table. They said you know why we're here don't you? I said no. We're.. we’re going to arrest you for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Very hard to describe the sinking feeling inside. It was just disbelief and horror. absolutely horrified. I thought this isn't real. You know, you had to pinch yourself. It just felt so much like a.. they were acting.

Jules Thomas - someone knows

There are people out there who know what, who know who murdered that.. that woman and I can't believe that they can actually live with what's going on. I can't believe it.

Jules Thomas - never a doubt

(Did it ever cross your mind that Ian could be the killer?)

No, I didn't doubt him. I.. I think he would have been a mess if he'd been.. if he’d done something like that. He wouldn't have been able to keep… keep it from me. emotionally. I could see that something strange had gone on. No, we were very close and.. and… you know?

I don't think that really ….his manner was any different to normal. If he had known her if he’d even met her, he would have told me.. he’d  never met her.

And I would never have .. allowed a murderer in the house with my three daughters …. insane ….you know? I love them so much.

Jules Thomas - I’d know

Is there ever any moment that you sort of think.. maybe?

Well I think they say you..you.. you've sort of 12 hours well say 11 hours in and they say it over and over again to you you can almost brainwash people into believing things. So there was a moment of doubt. There was, but it didn't last very long. I can tell you, you know,

It was… there was no… goodness me if somebody had murdered someone, I don't believe they'd be able to behave absolutely normally the following morning. Do you? Do you think they could act that well, and he's useless at lying. I just know what he was doing that night.