I have covered many murders in my time.
Thankfully, the latest figures available from the Central Statistics Office show a 42% drop in the number of homicide and related offences in the second quarter of this year, compared with the same period in 2024.
Nevertheless, that's no consolation to the families and loved ones of those who die by murder.
A number of recent cases have brought into sharp focus the incalculable loss murder causes.
In Cork, in mid-November, we had two murders in two days.
Firstly, in the early hours of 16 November, emergency services rushed to a house at Hollyville, Hollyhill, in Cork, where they found 38-year-old community employment scheme worker Mark O'Connell from Fairfield Green, Farranree, in the city, in a serious condition.
He had been stabbed and was taken to Cork University Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
His teenage daughter, Katlyn, paid tribute to him at his funeral mass a few days later.
She described him as her biggest supporter, who cheered her on from the sidelines every time she had a match.
"My dad was a kind man who always had a smile on his face," she told the congregation at his funeral mass. "I will never forget everything he has done for me."
"I used to sit and chat with him all the time. Every Friday morning when he brought us to school he would have the song 'It is Friday again' blaring with a smile on his face to make sure we stayed in a good mood," she said.
"Whenever I had a match, or even training... I could always hear his voice and it would always make it better. He cheered for me so loudly. He used to always tell his friends how proud he was of me and I will never forget that."
The chief celebrant at the mass was Fr David O'Connell of Monskstown parish in Co Cork.
The late Mark O’Connell was his nephew.
He told how family and loved ones were left with many questions: "how, where and when."
"The news. The shock. The pain. The questions. The anger. The tears. The waiting for the process to be completed," he said.
The day after Mr O'Connell was found seriously injured on the north side of Cork city, 59-year-old Stella Gallagher was seriously injured as she attempted to escape from her home at Shrewsbury Downs, Ballinlough, in Cork.
Her 62-year-old husband, Brian, was seriously injured in the same incident.
Ms Gallagher was taken to Cork University Hospital, but was pronounced dead within hours.
Her 25-year-old son David was subsequently brought before the District Court in Cork, where he was charged with her murder.
He was also charged with assault causing harm to his father, Brian.
At her funeral mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Ballinlough a few days later, Brian Gallagher was one of the pallbearers who carried her coffin out of the church after the service.
His brother, Alan, recalled many happy memories of his sister-in-law.
"She was a joy to be around and great fun," he said.
"She was game for anything and would go anywhere and have a good time."
He added: "Whether her many relatives, cousins and second cousins, or someone she had just met, she loved going on outings with people, whether for a hike in the country or to a film or on a shopping trip.
"We are so grateful to have shared our lives with this lovely person. We love you, Stella, and we always will."
Finally, on 28 November, 55-year-old Billy Burns was sentenced to life imprisonment for the "violent" murder of his 75-year-old mother, Miriam, who he strangled at her home in Killarney three years ago.
Her family decided not to put a victim impact statement before the court, but we received an insight into the scale of her loss from the sentencing judge, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor.
Ms Justice O'Connor described how, despite bringing her family up on her own, she always had a big smile for everyone and was always glamorous.
"The love and grief this family feels was palpable during the trial," she said. "It’s a testament to the love she gave to all of you."
The judge told Ms Burns’ family they had "honoured her legacy" throughout the trial process and would no doubt "always honour the wonderful woman she was, the dignity she taught you and the values she had".
A pathologist's report showed that Ms Burns died from manual strangulation associated with blunt force trauma to the head.
These are some of the snapshots from my working year in 2025.
In days of fast-moving news cycles, it is easy to become blasé about murder, especially when we do not directly know those involved.
At this time of year especially, please remember those who have died violently, and their loved ones.
