Relative may be charged with killing of elderly Artane man

A close relative may be charged with the killing of an elderly man in Dublin yesterday morning.

The body of Mr John McAuliffe, (71), was found by a neighbour on the doorstep of his home at Rosevale Flats, just off Brookwood Avenue in Artane, at about 7.10 a.m.

Mr McAuliffe had been stabbed a number of times in the stomach.

Garda∅ were immediately alerted and arrived at Mr McAuliffe's home at about 7.30 a.m., said locals.

The area was sealed off and a 41-year-old man was arrested at the scene. A close family member, he was standing near the body and was attempting to cut himself with a steak knife, according to garda∅.

There was a struggle before the man was taken to Raheny Garda Station. He was then taken to Beaumont Hospital for psychiatric assessment before being returned to Raheny for questioning, shortly after 3 p.m.

The area around Rosevale remained sealed off yesterday afternoon.

The State pathologist, Dr John Harbison, arrived shortly before noon and an elderly member of the family arrived, driven in a Garda car, at about 12.30 to identify the body.

A hearse, which had arrived at about 12.15 p.m., removed the body to the city morgue shortly before 1 p.m.

Rosevale is a quiet complex of 63 flats, built by Dublin Corporation in the 1960s to accommodate elderly residents.

Garda∅ interviewed other residents there yesterday. "They are a bit shaken up, naturally," said Det Inspector John Murphy.

People at the small, tidy complex of old people's flats in north Dublin expressed shock at the killing of a neighbour.

Mr George Doyle (62) said he had been living in the complex since March.

"I didn't personally know him (the victim) but I'd have known him to see, to say 'Hello' to.

"He was very quiet, kept to himself. He was quite tall, well dressed, always had a pleasant word."

The first he heard of the incident was at 9 o'clock yesterday morning, when his son-in-law came across, "banging on the door to see if I was all right.

Another resident, aged 73, who did not want to be named, had lived in Rosevale for six years and said he knew Mr McAuliffe "very well".

"He was very quiet, didn't drink, didn't smoke - didn't socialise much. But he was very friendly to talk to. He had one son who came to visit regularly and a sister who came up a lot."