About this episode
The episode recounts the chilling story of Frank McCann, who attempted to kill his wife and child to hide a dark secret, and the impact of his actions on the victims' families.
In 1992, Frank McCann tried to kill his wife and child four times to keep a dark secret from coming out. The swim coach had secretly fathered a child with a special needs teenager in 1987, just months after marrying Esther O’Brien. With Esther on the brink of discovering the truth and after repeated efforts to kill her, he burned her and their 18-month-old foster baby Jessica to death. And now, to the horror of those left behind, the remorseless former publican stands on the brink of a permanent release from prison. Nobody Heard Them Cry is the extraordinary story of a woman and her child who had no idea that their Dublin home had become for them the most dangerous place on earth. How Esther’s determination to adopt Jessica unwittingly dug up the bones of McCann’s sordid past. And how her supposedly respectable husband was willing to do anything to keep it buried. It’s also the story of two family’s desire to keep the unrepentant killer - currently enjoying freedom most days from prison - locked up. With contributions from Esther’s sister Marian Leonard, McCann’s brother Bernard and gardai, the Irish Sun’s Deep Dive team also come face to face with the beast who has spent over 30…
People in this episode
Host: Nicola Bardon
Topics covered
- true crime
- murder
- family secrets
- Dublin
- prison release
- adoption
Keywords
- Frank McCann
- Esther O’Brien
- murder
- Dublin
- true crime
- adoption
- prison
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Irish Sun, Acast
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