Gardai in Co Galway may begin a murder investigation today following the discovery of the body of a 53-year-old Connemara man with his hands tied behind his back in his home yesterday.
The bachelor's body - he lived alone - was discovered at about 4 p.m. on his bed at his home near Inverin, an isolated area 18 miles west of Galway city. He had numerous injuries and his bedroom was in disarray, according to gardai. He is thought to have been dead for several days.
The body was discovered following reports to gardai that he had not been seen for about two weeks. The State pathologist, Dr John Harbison, carried out a preliminary post mortem at the scene last night. A full post mortem will be carried out today. Gardai said they were treating the man's death as "suspicious" but were awaiting the outcome of the post mortem. Murder had not been ruled out.
The man lived in the farmhouse with several dogs. He was described by locals as a quiet man.
Gardai said they have ruled out any connection between his death and the murder of the Co Galway taxi driver, Ms Eileen Costello O'Shaughnessy.