Funeral of Bray knife killer takes place today

THE FUNERAL of Dubliner Shane Clancy, who carried out a fatal stabbing attack in Bray, Co Wicklow last weekend, takes place today.

The 22-year-old from Dalkey, south Dublin, will be buried at Shanganagh Cemetery after 10am Mass in the Church of the Assumption in Dalkey.

Mr Clancy stabbed to death 22-year-old design student Sebastian Creane at the Creane family home in Cuala Grove, Bray, Co Wicklow, in the early hours of last Sunday morning after a night out.

Mr Creane’s girlfriend Jennifer Hannigan, and his brother Dylan, were also stabbed by Mr Clancy, but survived.

After carrying out the stabbings just after 4.30am, Mr Clancy went to the back garden of the Creane house, where his remains were later found. He had been stabbed in the chest and a knife was found with the body. Gardaí are not seeking anybody else in relation to Mr Clancy’s death.

Gardaí believe Mr Clancy murdered Mr Creane because Mr Creane had begun seeing Mr Clancy’s former girlfriend, Jennifer Hannigan, from Killiney, south Dublin.

The Irish Timeshas established from Garda sources and local sources in south Dublin that Mr Clancy had in recent weeks become increasingly preoccupied with the ending of his relationship with Ms Hannigan. They had dated each other for about three years and broke up earlier this year.

Mr Clancy had recently tried repeatedly to contact a large number of people on social networking sites that he did not know personally, but who he knew were friends of Ms Hannigan. A number of people had informed Ms Hannigan of this and it is believed she had asked her friends to do nothing that would encourage any further contact with Mr Clancy.

Sources said that in recent weeks Mr Clancy had repeatedly made contact with Ms Hannigan via mobile calls and text.

He had also begun approaching friends of Ms Hannigan inquiring about her, despite the fact he did not personally know the people he was approaching.

Mr Clancy, a student of Middle Eastern studies at Trinity College, Dublin, had been suffering from depression and was being treated for this, according to some sources. He had recently withdrawn from a planned trip to do charity work abroad.

A number of friends of Mr Clancy have contributed to radio station phone-ins, describing a popular, loyal and hardworking young man.

A former work colleague, named only as Jennifer, who called to RTÉ's Livelineprogramme yesterday described Mr Clancy as "one of the nicest people I ever met".

“He got on with everybody. If you didn’t get on with Shane Clancy there was something wrong with you because Shane had a smile for everyone.”

A male caller described Mr Clancy as “a great guy”.

Despite being in the same group socialising on Saturday night, Sebastian Creane and Mr Clancy were not friends. Mr Creane (22) had gone out with two friends, all former students at St Gerard’s in Bray, to the Eagle House pub in Sandycove.

Dylan Creane and Jennifer Hannigan are recovering in hospital.