Gardaí investigating the murder of Kilkenny postmaster Alan Cunniffe have appealed for passengers who travelled on a Bus Éireann "Expressway" coach from Dublin to Kilkenny last Friday morning, December 8th, to contact them urgently.
Supt Pat Mangan of Kilkenny Garda station, who is leading the investigation, has asked anyone who travelled on the bus between Busáras and MacDonagh railway station in Kilkenny to call gardaí on 056-7775074.
The bus, which had the ultimate destination of Clonmel, Co Tipperary, departed Busáras at 9am and arrived in Kilkenny at some time between 11.10am and 11.30am.
It had been scheduled to arrive at 11.10am.
It is believed that up to 16 people may have been on board, but it is not known how many people got on at various stops en route, as the bus travelled through counties Kildare and Laois towards Kilkenny.
A Bus Éireann spokeswoman said the scheduled stops were at Naas (9.45am), Kilcullen (10am), and Athy (10.20am) in Co Kildare; Ballylinan (10.25am) and Crettyard (10.35am) in Co Laois; and Castlecomer (10.45am) in Co Kilkenny.
In addition to passengers who boarded the bus in Dublin, gardaí would also like to hear from anyone who boarded the bus at any of the towns along the route.
Mr Cunniffe, who managed a family-run supermarket and post-office business at John's Green, just yards from MacDonagh station, was shot when he pursued an armed robber who stole more than €13,000 from the post office at about noon last Friday.
Mr Cunniffe died that afternoon in St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny and his funeral took place on Tuesday. A man has been charged with his murder.