North inner city in shock following killing of ‘gentle’ elderly woman

Locals in Dublin’s north inner city were in a state of “shock” at the news a woman in her 80s was stabbed to death on Wednesday morning.

Gardaí have opened a murder investigation and arrested a woman in her 40s who was known to the victim.

The dead woman, named locally as Maura Bergin, lived at the end of First Avenue, a small road of two dozen homes off Seville Place, Dublin 1.

She was well known in the area as she volunteered in the nearby St Laurence O’Toole church.

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It is understood the suspect had walked to a nearby shop to ask for a cigarette shortly after the stabbing and was located by gardaí a short time later.

The body of the deceased was found with severe injuries after gardaí were called to the Dublin city home at about 11.50am on Wednesday.

Locals said Ms Bergin’s husband had not been in the house at the time of the stabbing, as he was in hospital recovering from a hip injury.

Julie O’Toole, who lived opposite Ms Bergin, said she was a “big part” of the local community. “I lived facing her, and she never passed me by, she always said hello. I have a little dog and she’d always pet the dog,” she said.

“We are in shock … It’s funny the way nothing affects you until it’s right at your own hall door,” she said.

Ms O’Toole said her neighbour had been a “lovely, very quiet woman”, whose Catholic faith was a big part of her life.

Sylvia Murtagh, from Second Avenue, said her neighbour’s death was tragic. “She used to drop in and have a cup of tea with me … I’m very, very sorry for the family,” she said. “We all pull together, this is a lovely community.”

‘Great sadness’

Another local woman, Ann Grimes, said those living on the small street were all “lovely people”, who looked out for each other.

Ms Grimes said the deceased would be known locally as she volunteered in the church across the street from her home. “The woman was lovely, you couldn’t say anything bad about her”, she said.

Throughout the afternoon, mothers pushing prams and young men on bicycles stopped to stare down at the scene of the victim’s home, which had been cordoned off by gardaí.

Nial Ring, Dublin City Council member, said the killing had caused “great sadness” in the north inner city area.

Ms Bergin was a “well-known, well-liked member of this very tight knit community,” he said. “She worked in the local church, she was a friend of anybody, she was a gentle woman,” he said.

In a statement the Garda said investigations are ongoing and that they are examining “all the circumstances” around the death.

The suspecte is being held in Store Street Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

Gardaí in Store Street are appealing for witnesses or anyone who may have information to contact them.

“Any person with any information which may be relevant to the Garda investigation should contact Store Street Garda Station on 01 666 8089, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station,” the statement said.