Charles Self

53.29485°N 6.15631°W / 53.29485; -6.15631 Charles Self (14 February 1949 – 21 January 1982)[1] was a Scottish gay man who was attacked and killed at his home in Monkstown, County Dublin in a brutal attack in January 1982.[2]

Early life

Charles 'Charlie' Self was born in England, on 14 February 1949, and his mother died when he was quite young.[2] Some friends in Dublin believed he was adopted.[2] Some had met his parents when they visited him and his father, who was in the military, may have remarried.[2] He was mainly raised by an aunt in Glasgow and was on good terms with his family.[2]

Career

Self had worked in the BBC, but was persuaded by Alpho O'Reilly to work in Raidió Teilifís Éireann and relocated to Dublin in 1978.[2] He moved into Annesley Mews on Brighton Avenue in Monkstown.[2] He shared the Mews with Vincent Hanley.[2]

He was the main set designer for The Late Late Show and had worked on a popular Twink Christmas special and was due to have a wage increase.[2]

He also worked for Capital Radio towards the end of his life.[2]

Murder

Last known movements

On 20 January 1982, Self met with friends for a drink at lunchtime in the Bailey pub on Duke Street.[2] Afterwards he walked with a friend along Dawson Street before he headed to RTE.[2] After work he went home, then at 8:30 that evening he was given a lift into the city centre by a passing motorist after waiting at a bus stop.[2] He was seen in The Bailey Bar at approximately 8:30pm leaving at approximately 9:00pm. He was then seen in the South William Public House where he remained until approximately 10:30pm.[3] He then went to another pub, the gay-friendly Bartley Dunne's pub on Stephen Street Lower, where he remained until closing time.[2] He then went down Grafton Street and D'Olier Street to Burgh Quay, where he entered a late-light establishment called the Hotpot at 11:40pm to buy take-away food,[3] then left at 12:05 am.[2]

He was with a fair-haired man in a two-piece suit when they got into a taxi at 12:20am.[2] The taximan said his passengers had got amorous in the back seat and he left them at Annesley Mews at 12:40, a time confirmed by a garda on 24-hour duty outside a judge's house nearby.[2]

Vincent Hanley appears not to have been at the mews that night, but another RTE set designer, Bertram 'Bertie' Tyrer was staying in Hanley's room rather than returning to his Wicklow cottage.[2]

Discovery of murder

Bertie Tyrer came down stairs at 8:45am and found Charles Self's body lying in a pool of blood partly slumped against the front door.[2] He had been stabbed 14 times and there were three slash wounds to his throat. Part of the cord from a red dressing gown belonging to Vincent Hanley was also wound tightly around his neck.[2] Tyler tried to use the phone, but couldn't get a dial tone, so he rang Dún Laoghaire Garda station from the neighbouring mews.[2]

Funeral

His funeral was held in St. Andrews' Presbyterian Church in Blackrock.[2]

Aftermath

Along with the murder of Declan Flynn, the murder of Charles Self motivated LGBT activists to protest against Gardaí getting information on gay men through intimidation.[4] It had a profound impact on the LGBT community.[5]

Status of case

In 2008, a review of the case was conducted by Garda Detective Alan Bailey. He concluded that the murder scene may have been "staged" by the killer to divert attention from himself. As of 2022, the case is still open.[2]

References

1. "Murder of Charlie Self on the 21/1/82". Garda Síochána. 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
2. Collins, Liam (31 July 2016). "Unsolved crimes: Mystery blond holds key to solving brutal murder of RTE set designer". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
3. "Murder of Charlie Self on the 21/1/82".
4. Keane, Caomhán. "Out of the closet, into the open". Irish Examiner.
5. Mullalley, Úna. "In the name of love".