The victims of a stabbing attack in the Co Cork town of Carrigaline have been named locally as father Patrick Murphy (75), known locally as Weeshie, and his son Shane (27).
The young man was stabbed to death and his father seriously injured during an attack in their home in the quiet harbour town during the early hours of Saturday.
Gardaí were this afternoon questioning another 42-year-old man about the incident. He was known to both men, according to a report in the Irish Examiner.
Both of the victims are understood to be 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.
Gardaí on Saturday evening confirmed that a postmortem has been completed on the body of the 27-year-old, but said the results of the examination were not being released for operational reasons.
Town in shock
A house in the Sea View estate area of the Carrigaline, the scene of the attack, remains sealed off to facilitate a detailed examination by Garda forensic experts.
Local Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath said he, like everyone else in the town, was shocked to wake up to the tragic news.
“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,” Mr McGrath said.
“My thoughts are with the older man and his family and I wish him well in his recovery.”
The alarm was raised at around 3.30am on Saturday when gardaí were called to the scene of a serious assault in the housing estate where they found a 27-year-old man with serious apparent stab wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, which was immediately sealed off.
Gardaí said they were also advised that the young man’s 75-year-old father attended Cork University Hospital (CUH) with serious stab wounds. His condition has been described as serious but not life-threatening.
A person of interest was quickly identified and a major Garda investigation was launched, with this person identified a few hours later by gardaí in the nearby harbour town of Passage West.
The man in question was arrested there and taken to Gurranabraher Garda station for questioning, where he can be held for up to 24 hours.
Garda interviews with Weeshie Murphy are also expected to take place once he is deemed medically fit to talk to detectives.
Gardaí have appealed to anyone who was around the Carrigaline and Passage West areas in the early hours of this morning, and who may have noticed any unusual activity, to contact them at Togher Garda station on 021 494 7120.
