Atlantic Podcast: Who are the people involved?

The gardaí, eye-witnesses and film-maker featured in the Atlantic podcast

Brian Sclanlon, caretaker, Sligo city cemetery at the unmarked grave of Peter Bergmann in 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Brian Sclanlon, caretaker, Sligo city cemetery at the unmarked grave of Peter Bergmann in 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

The Mystery Man

A garda photo showing still image taken from CCTV of Peter Bergmann in the bus station at Sligo in June 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
A garda photo showing still image taken from CCTV of Peter Bergmann in the bus station at Sligo in June 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

Peter Bergmann: The man whose body was discovered on Rosses Point, Co Sligo, in June 2009, five days after he had arrived in Sligo by bus from Derry. No passport, ID or credit cards were found in his possessions. Police soon discovered that there was nothing straightforward about this case.

The Gardaí

John O’Reilly, the chief superintendent in Cavan-Monaghan district. 
Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
John O’Reilly, the chief superintendent in Cavan-Monaghan district. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

John O’Reilly: Currently the Garda Chief Superintendent of the Cavan-Monaghan district. He was a former detective inspector of the Sligo-Leitrim division, and led the Peter Bergmann investigation in 2009. Ten years on, the case continues to resonate with him.

Ray Mulderrig: The current Garda Detective Inspector at Sligo Garda Station and lead investigator on the Peter Bergmann case, which remains open.

Terry MacMahon: A former sergeant at Sligo Garda Station, he took the 6.45am call on June 16th, 2009, reporting the discovery of a body at Rosses Point beach. Currently the sergeant in charge of Grange Garda Station in Co Sligo.

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Gerry Moylan: Sergeant at Sligo Garda Station.

The Eyewitnesses

Vincent Dunbar: Former depot inspector at Sligo Bus Station. He gave directions to Peter Bergmann about which bus went to Rosses Point Beach.

Paula Lahiff, who, along with her husband Dermot, saw Peter Bergmann  walking on the beach the evening of June 15th, 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Paula Lahiff, who, along with her husband Dermot, saw Peter Bergmann walking on the beach the evening of June 15th, 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

Paula and Dermot Lahiff: They saw Peter Bergmann on Rosses Point beach the evening of June 15th, 2009, the day before his body was discovered.

Arthur Kinsella, who, with his son Brian, found the body of Peter Bergmann on the beach at Rosses Point in June 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Arthur Kinsella, who, with his son Brian, found the body of Peter Bergmann on the beach at Rosses Point in June 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

Arthur Kinsella: The person who found Peter Bergmann dead on the beach early on June 16th, 2009. He called Sligo Garda Station to report the discovery.

Clive Kilgallen, pathologist at Sligo University, who performed the autopsy on the body of Peter Bergmann in 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Clive Kilgallen, pathologist at Sligo University, who performed the autopsy on the body of Peter Bergmann in 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

Clive Kilgallen: The consultant pathologist at Sligo University Hospital who conducted the autopsy on Peter Bergmann on June 17th, 2009, which revealed even more secrets about this mystery man.

Brian Sclanlon, caretaker, Sligo city cemetery at the unmarked grave of Peter Bergmann in 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Brian Sclanlon, caretaker, Sligo city cemetery at the unmarked grave of Peter Bergmann in 2009. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

Brian Scanlon: Has been working at Sligo Cemetery for 30 years. He conducted the burial of Peter Bergmann on September 18th, 2009.

The Film-maker

Ciaran Cassidy: The film-maker who was fascinated by the case. He made an 18-minute documentary, The Last Days of Peter Bergmann (Fastnet Films), in 2013.

Rosita Boland

Rosita Boland

Rosita Boland is Senior Features Writer with The Irish Times. She was named NewsBrands Ireland Journalist of the Year for 2018