Shane Murphy - Carrigaline stabbing victim. Picture: Gardaí

Gardaí have resumed questioning a 42-year-old man arrested in connection with the murder of a 27-year-old man in Carrigaline, Co Cork over the weekend.

The victim, named locally as Shane Murphy, 27, died at the scene of the attack at his family home in Carrigaline. His father, Patrick, 75, known locally as Weeshie, suffered serious stab wounds and remains in hospital.

It is believed the suspect, who is in his 40s, and who is being quizzed by detectives, was known to both men, who are both very well-known and highly respected in pitch and putt circles across the country.

Shane was ranked in the top 10 of Ireland’s pitch and putt players, having won several local, regional and national titles at various levels over the years. He recently won two senior titles in match play and stroke play. His father had also won numerous titles over the years and was also involved in the administration of the game in Cork.

Noel Collins, chairman of the Cork County Board of Pitch and Putt Ireland, knew both men well.

“Pitch and putt was their life,” he said.

“I was in charge of the juvenile teams when Shane won an under 16 title. He was a super guy and a super player.

“We saw his talent at juvenile level but he carried that right through to senior level and what’s happened is just unbelievable. We’re all just totally shocked.” 

All Cork County Board pitch and putt events which were scheduled this weekend, including all Cork league semi finals, have been cancelled as their wide circle of friends tried to come to terms with the shocking double stabbing.

The alarm was raised at around 3.30am on Saturday when gardaí were called to the scene of a serious assault in the established housing estate where they found a 27-year-old man with serious apparent stab wounds.

Gardaí and emergency services both tried to help the man but he was pronounced dead at the scene, which was immediately sealed off and the services of the office of the state pathologist were requested.

Gardaí said they were also advised that the dead man’s 75-year-old father attended Cork University Hospital (CUH) with serious stab wounds, where he remains in a serious condition.

A person of interest was identified and a major garda investigation was launched.

That person of interest was spotted a few hours later by gardaí in the nearby harbour town of Passage West where he was arrested.

He was taken to Gurranabraher Garda Station where he is being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, for questioning. He can be detained for up to 24-hours.

The body of the young man is due to be removed to CUH where a post mortem examination will take place to establish the exact cause of death.

Gardaí interviews with the father of the victim are expected to take place once he is deemed medically fit to talk to detectives.

In the meantime, gardaí have appealing to anyone who was in or around the Carrigaline and Passage West areas in the early hours of this morning, and who may have noticed any activity which caught their attention or who can assist gardaí involved in this investigation to contact them at Togher Garda station on 021 4947120.

Gardaí said their investigation is ongoing.

Local Fianna Fáil Cllr Seamus McGrath said he, like everyone else in the harbour town, was shocked to wake up to the tragic news this morning.

“Sea View is a quiet, settled area, it’s one of the older estates in Carrigaline with many families who have lived in the area for years and this is the last thing you’d expect to hear. My thoughts are with the older man and his family and I wish him well in his recovery,” he said.

Mr Murphy’s wife, Marie, died following illness in 2012. He has two other children, Tanya, and Bryan.

Meanwhile, gardaí in north Cork are continuing their investigation into all the circumstances surrounding the suspicious death of a man in his 60s who was found dead in a house in Buttevant on Thursday night.

They are trying to establish who the man was with and interacted with, and his last-known movements in the hours before he was found unconscious by his partner on the floor of a downstairs room at their house at O’Brien Terrace at around 9.30pm on Thursday.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics, the man could not be revived and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man had apparent injuries which gave rise to concern and which led to the sealing off the house for a forensic examination, and the requesting of a state post mortem to establish the exact cause of death.

The post mortem examination has been conducted and the results of certain toxicology tests are awaited.

Gardaí have not released the results of the post mortem for operational reasons and said their enquiries are ongoing today.

The house remains sealed off today while the investigation continues.

They have appealed to anyone with information about the man's last-known movements to contact them.

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