Investigation into death of Jack Clancy (22) in Lucan

Gunshot victim was ‘very well-liked around the area’, according to school friend

Gardaí are trying to establish the cause of death of a young man found dead at his west Dublin home on Sunday.

Emergency services were called to a property on Woodville Avenue shortly before 3pm on Sunday after the body of Jack Clancy (22) was discovered.

The young man’s family were holidaying abroad in Spain, when they were informed of the news of Mr Clancy’s death.

The body remained in the house overnight and the scene was preserved for a forensic and technical examination.

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On Monday morning, the State Pathologist arrived at the scene to begin a preliminary examination.

It is understood Mr Clancy was working as an apprentice plumber in Shannon.

It is believed his body was found by a relative in an upstairs bedroom and that he had sustained a wound to his chest.

The death is being treated as suspicious according to gardaí.

It is understood the young man lived with his mother, his brother and his mother’s partner.

’Very well liked’

Mr Clancy was a past student at the nearby boys secondary school Coláiste Phádraig CBS, which was just 10 minutes walk from his home.

One friend who knew Mr Clancy from their time at the school described him as a “genuine lad”, who was “very well-liked” around the area.

“It’s a shock to see what’s happened, he would never have a problem with anyone and I don’t think anyone would want to do something like that to Jack” the man, who also lives in Lucan said.

The school principal Tony Brady, who did not work at the school while Mr Clancy was a student, said the only comments he had heard from teachers who taught the young man were “positive”.

“Teachers that have been speaking about him all only have good memories, that he was a good lad, he had his head down and went about his work,” Mr Brady said.

Mayor of South Dublin County Council Paul Gogarty said he was “shocked” at the news of the incident, and expressed his condolences to the young man’s friends and family.

Mr Gogarty, who is an Independent councillor for the Lucan area, said the estate was “very settled” and never had “any association with criminality.”

“It’s a private housing estate with a mix of young and older residents with a very active residents association,” he said.

Mr Gogarty said the only problems from the estate he would deal with as a local representative would relate to traffic issues, or some issues with anti-social behaviour in the nearby parks.

Another local Independent councillor, Guss O’Connell, said the incident was shocking, and also extended his condolences to Mr Clancy’s family.

Tragic

“It’s a very tragic thing, especially around Christmas time” he said, Mr O’Connell also described the Woodville area as a “settled estate”.

There have been reports that the man had been shot, but gardaí were unable to confirm this.

Neighbours living on the street expressed shock at the incident and described the area as a “quiet” and “safe”.

Mandy Carroll, who lives on Woodville Avenue, said her son used to play with the young man when they were both children.

“We’ve been living here for 20 years and his family have lived in that house all that time. He was the nicest chap and they’re a lovely family.”

Shane Casey, who lives directly across from the house where the body was found, said he had lived in the street for two years and never had any trouble. "It's a bit of a shock but it's an extremely isolated event, nothing like that happens here."