Tributes have been paid to a 16-year-old who died after sustaining knife injuries in East Wall in Dublin on Tuesday night. The teenager has been named locally as Josh Dunne.
The teenager was from Ballymun and has been described as “a talented young footballer”.
The promising centre-forward had recently gone for trials with Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership and had caught the eye of several other clubs.
He represented a number of clubs in Dublin, including St Kevin’s Boys, Tolka Rovers and Bohemians.
He was one of two teenagers seriously injured in a very significant public order incident in the north inner city.
The incident took place on East Road, East Wall at 9.20pm. Gardaí and the emergency services attended the scene and the injured teenagers were taken to the Mater hospital to be treated. Josh Dunne was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
The other teenager is continuing to receive medical attention at the Mater, along with a third male who has since presented to the hospital with injuries.
A murder inquiry has begun.
'Very talented footballer'
Bohemian Football Club said everyone at the club was “devastated to learn of the death of Bohs-SKB player Josh Dunne in tragic circumstances”.
“Josh was a talented young footballer who will be sadly missed by former team-mates and coaches,” it said.
Everyone at Bohemians is devastated to learn of the death of Bohs-SKB player Josh Dunne in tragic circumstances.
Josh was a talented young footballer who will be sadly missed by former team-mates and coaches.
We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends. ❤️🖤🧡 pic.twitter.com/g3vWoKhkQd— Bohemian Football Club (@bfcdublin) January 27, 2021
St Kevin’s Boys FC said members of the teenager’s team and coaching staff were “all devastated to hear the sad news”.
The team's public relations officer Neil Fox told the PA news agency: “He was a great footballer. He’d stepped up to the rank of League of Ireland through our partnership with Bohemians and Kevin’s.
“I’d seen him play many times. A very skilful, very quick, tricky little player. He was away on a trial a couple of months ago with Dundee United.
“There were a couple of other clubs looking at him. So he was definitely going on the right track regarding football.”
Mr Fox added: “He was a lovely guy. I met him a few times, coming in and out of the club. I would have taken a lot of photographs for the club, so I would have gotten to know the guy. A nice, bubbly guy.
“I’m in shock in myself, I just can’t believe what happened. It’s a terrible tragedy for his family and friends and everyone that knows him.
“Sixteen years of age, it’s so young that a guy has been taken away like that. It’s unbelievable.”
Independent councillor Anthony Flynn, who lives close to where the incident happened, told The Irish Times that the death was “a serious blow to the community”.
“It happened at the top of my road and I was one of the first on the scene last night. The community are in shock at what’s happened,” he said.
Cllr Flynn said an anti-knife campaign across the city had been called for at a policing committee with the Assistant Garda Commissioner for the Dublin region earlier on Tuesday.
Fine Gael councillor Ray McAdam told The Irish Times that the local community was “fearful” due to recent incidents.
“Last week there was a stabbing incident in North Wall and prior to Christmas there was a similar incident on East Road, the very street where last night’s stabbing took place. Residents are anxious,” he said.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses, particularly anyone who was in the East Road area between 9pm and 9.40pm on Tuesday, to contact Store Street Garda station on (01) 666 8000, the Garda confidential phone number on 1800 666111, or any station.
