Donegal murder inquiry opens

Gardaí in Co Donegal last night opened a murder inquiry following a post-mortem examination on the body of a man found with severe head injuries at his home on Saturday. The dead man was named as Mr Seán Duffy, of Meenacross, Dungloe.

Gardaí confirmed that Mr Duffy had sustained head injuries and a number of other injuries about his body.

There were reports locally that he had been shot with a crossbow in the arm.

Mr Duffy (36) was found dead in his home at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday.

He had been socialising on Friday night at the Stand View Bar in Maghery close to his home. At the end of the evening he left the pub and drove his green Mercedes to his parents' house at Meenacross.

He stayed in the house until about 2.30 a.m., when he drove the short distance to his home, where he was apparently attacked and killed.

Garda sources said the house had been disturbed, indicating Mr Duffy may have struggled with his attackers before he was overcome and killed.

His body was found by his younger brother on Saturday afternoon. Mr Duffy was pronounced dead at the scene by a local doctor at about 3 p.m.

The house was sealed off and a forensic examination of the property was carried out yesterday by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.

The Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Michael Curtis, arrived in Dungloe just before noon and conducted a preliminary examination of the body in the house.

Mr Duffy's body was then taken to Letterkenny General Hospital, where Dr Curtis began the full post-mortem yesterday afternoon. That concluded late last night when a murder inquiry was officially begun.

Chief Supt Noel White, who is heading the investigation, said gardaí were anxious to speak to anybody who saw Mr Duffy at the Stand View Bar on Friday night.

They also want to speak to anybody who saw Mr Duffy as he drove to his parents' house after leaving the pub and later to his own home, where he lived alone.

He had visited a shop and garage in the village of Crolly earlier on Friday.

Supt White could not say if more than one person attacked Mr Duffy.

"The investigation is at a very early stage and we are keeping an open mind on the number involved and also any potential weapons," he said.

Mr Duffy was well known in west Donegal and involved in various business ventures.

He was a part-time undertaker and had also hired out limousine cars for weddings.

He had a keen interest in horses and ponies and was involved with a local pony club. He also worked as a doorman at local disco and pub venues and had recently been employed in a garage.

Prayers were offered for Mr Duffy in St Patrick's Church, Meenacross, at 10 a.m. Mass yesterday, and people called to the church to pray and light candles throughout the day.

The Minister of State for the Marine, Mr Pat "The Cope" Gallagher, who lives near by, visited the family yesterday.

He said they were devastated by what had happened.

He described Mr Duffy as a "larger than life character".

Anybody with information on Mr Duffy's murder is asked to contact the incident room in Glenties Garda Station on (074) 9551108.