Irish Blood season 1 finale ending explained: Is Declan's murder finally resolved? Who killed him?

The Irish Blood season 1 finale marks the end of Fiona Murphy's investigation, for the time being. The six-part series has exposed dark truths about the crime underbelly that has been plaguing the small Irish town for years, leaving unresolved killings and conspiracies. One such recent killing is of Fiona's father, Declan Murphy.

But, at the end of the Irish Blood season 1 finale, Fiona finally resolves Declan's murder after one fateful confession from the murderer herself—Declan's sister, Una. Fiona Murphy has done what she's set out to do, which is to know the truth if Declan's death was truly a s*icide or a murder.

However, as the finale answered the show's biggest lingering question, it has also left with a series of cliff hangers and an even bigger conspiracy of who was behind all the crime and what Una knows about it all.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers for the Irish Blood season 1 finale. Reader's discretion is advised.

---

Irish Blood season 1 finale: Who killed Declan Murphy?

Declan Murphy murder mystery solved (Image via Acorn TV)

The Irish Blood season 1 finale finally answers the biggest lingering mystery in the entirety of the series: the question of whether Declan Murphy killed himself on the cliff or someone killed him. It turns out that the latter was true; someone pushed Declan off the cliff, but it's not as sinister as the other murders in the show.

It turns out that Declan's sister, Una, accidentally pushes him during an argument, ending with him falling to his death at the bottom of the cliff. Una confesses to the accidental murder at the end of the Irish Blood season 1 finale, and the entire scene is shown in a flashback.

Declan wants Una to be a key witness in his investigation, but doesn't want to compromise her freedom. She doesn't want to get involved in whatever Declan is planning, and during their argument, she shoves him, not realizing that they're on the cliff's edge and he would plunge to his death. The Irish Blood finale ends with the Garda arresting Una for the murder.

---

What is Una's bigger part in Declan's investigation in the Irish Blood season 1 finale?

Una isn't only Declan's killer. As the Irish Blood season 1 finale revealed, she has a significant part to play in the investigation of the larger crime in their small Irish town. She's a key witness, as Declan has referred to her in flashback scenes during their last conversation before his death.

Una Murphy is arrested (Image via Acorn TV)

As their conversation has implied, Una has a secret relationship with Johnny McIntyre and knows about his past crime. Declan has also implied that the person, perhaps a family, behind everything, all the crimes and killings, is someone he has worked for. However, even to the last minute, in jail, Una refuses to talk and reveal what she knows.

A series of clues scattered throughout the Irish Blood season 1 finale points to the Donovans. Siobhan's explosive anger after Fiona reveals that she's going to talk to Kane in prison hints at her involvement. Moreover, there are Johnny McIntyre's words during the warehouse scene, telling Fiona that the "higher ups" don't want her talking to Kane.

---

Irish Blood season 1 finale: Is Father Al back?

The final moments of the Irish Blood season 1 finale see Father Al's return to the spotlight. While he hasn't returned to Ireland, which is unlikely as the Garda have now set their eyes on him, he's back to unleash danger on Fiona's life, specifically on Fiona's mother, Mary's life.

Mary returns to the US in Irish Blood season 1 episode 5, and as seen in the finale, she has returned to her normal life, back to her bakery. Father Al visits her in the shop while on a call with Fiona, hurling threats, promising to hurt Mary if Fiona doesn't give him what he wants, which is information about the contents of Declan's briefcase.

Father Al, it turns out, is still after Declan's hard drive, specifically the Bitcoin Declan supposedly has access to. Unfortunately for him, Fiona has given the hard drive to the Garda, but, as seen in the previous episode, Garda Hernderson has stolen it and given it to Wylie. Whoever Wylie is working for most likely has the hard drive Father Al is looking for.

---

Catch all six episodes of Irish Blood season 1 now streaming on Acorn TV.