Damien Conlon (38) was shot dead following an incident at his home in a rural New South Wales village on the morning of February 9, 2023
Damien Conlon (38), who grew up in the Fort Hill area of Sligo but lived in Australia since 2011, was shot dead following an incident at his home in a rural New South Wales village on the morning of February 9, 2023.
He was treated by treated by paramedics but tragically died at the scene in Oberon.
Luke Simon (57), the father of Damien’s devoted partner Linda, was subsequently arrested and charged with murder.
This week, Mr Simon appeared by video-link from Silverwater jail to Sydney Supreme Court, where he admitted fatally shooting Mr Conlon.
He had initially pleaded guilty to the charge at Bathurst Local Court on June 12.
A conviction was formally recorded and his next court date was set for November 7, 2024 before the Sydney Supreme Court.
Damien Conlon and Linda
Damien and Mr Simon’s daughter Linda were engaged and had been planning to marry in 2023.
The couple shared two children together, Mason (now 3) and Elias (now 1), and Damien had also taken on stepfather role to Linda’s sons from her previous relationship, Brodie and Joseph.
Damien had emigrated to Australia 12 years ago and received his Australian citizenship in 2021.
Damien who was a carpenter by trade initially went to Australia on a one-year working holiday visa before deciding to stay. He subsequently set up a large excavation business in Kelso in New South Wales.
Linda previously described Damien’s death as “senseless and violent” and told of her devastation that they wouldn’t get to marry and live a long happy life together.
“We had deposits paid on the venue, the church and everything, but unfortunately that will never be,” she told the Irish Sunday Mirror at the time.
“That is the hardest part, all the plans we had for the future and watching our children growing up without him. We just take it day by day now, that is all we can do.”
She said he was a devoted dad and stepfather who doted on the four children.
She also told how no one ever had a bad word to say about Damien.
“He was the sort of fella you’d ring at midnight and say, ‘My shower is broken’ and he’d jump out of bed, put his boots on and come over to help.
“That’s the kind of man he was. One example is an architect he spoke to, they never met but they spoke on the phone. He’s flying 20 hours to be at his funeral, that’s how much people loved him.”
