I wonder how much knowledge the father had of the baby/pregancy if it was a member of the mother’s family who killed him? There must have been some seriously strained relationships in the family especially as the years went by and as Ireland became a much more open country. If he was aware at the time you’d wonder why they didn’t just get married like so many others. Obviously just speculating but I’d be consumed with hatred if that was my child that was murdered. Also if he was aware about the baby did anybody in his immediate family have knowledge of what had happened. I can only imagine the shock if they had absolutely no idea.l think it’s very clear someone/people very close to Baby John killed him. They may no longer be with us.
What a terrible indictment of Irish society at the time that a child could bring so much shame on a couple just because it was born outside wedlock. It may destroy a family for the truth to come out but that poor boy deserves justice.
The vandalising of the grave is also so chilling, like it clearly had an effect on someone really close to the murder that they were still desecrating Baby Johns grave even up to 2004, 20years after the murder.