THE family of the West Belfast woman who was murdered in County Cavan last week moved away from the district in the early 1970s.

The 56-year-old husband of Patricia Kierans has appeared in court charged with her murder.

Oliver Kierans, with an address at Drumbannon in Bailieborough, Co Cavan, was charged with the murder of Patricia Kierans at Drumbannon, Bailieborough, last Thursday.  He was also charged with possession of a firearm.

Patricia, 54, was originally from the Ballymurphy area but moved to Cavan along with her family in 1972, when she was a child.

Mr Kierans is the late woman's estranged husband. He was detained after a 10-hour stand-off at a pub in the town. Patricia’s body was found at her home in the Drumbannon estate.

On Monday, Judge Seán McBride ordered that Mr Kierans receive medical and psychiatric attention and be placed on suicide-watch while in custody at Castlerea Prison.  He will appear in court again tomorrow (Friday).

Sinn Féin Ballymurphy Councillor, Stevie Corr, said that while her entire family moved away, many people still remember Patricia.

“Patricia was a member of the highly respected Purdy family,” he said.

“They moved away in 1972 and there are no relations left in the area but I have been contacted by people who knew her and who have been expressing their shock about what happened to her.

“A lot of people knew her and her family and they had nothing but good things to say about Patricia and her family.

“We send our condolences to the grieving family as they try and come to terms with Patricia’s untimely death.”

Three of Patricia Kierans children were in Australia at the time of her killing while a fourth was on transit to join them when he heard that his mother had been killed at the family home.