GARDAÍ IN Galway have appealed for help in finding the killer of a 20-year-old man who was stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack in the early hours of yesterday.
Kieran Cunningham, from Slieve Finn in Co Galway, died from stab wounds he received minutes after leaving a nightclub in the city centre. Two colleagues from Hughes Supermarket in Claregalway, where he worked, and three other friends had gone for a night out in Galway city.
Mr Cunningham was attacked shortly after 2am, shortly after he left Karma nightclub. Moments later two of his friends found him lying on the footpath outside Fallers’ Jewellers on Williamsgate Street, a short road that links Eyre Square with Shop Street in the city centre.
Two gardaí on foot patrol came to the young man’s assistance and they took him in a passing patrol car to University College Hospital, but Mr Cunningham was pronounced dead shortly after 3am.
Supt Tom Curley said the victim had extensive injuries when he was found by the two gardaí.
“We know, from initial inquiries, that the victim left Karma nightclub at 2.11am and we know that the incident happened within 10 minutes of him leaving the club.
“We are appealing to anyone who was in the vicinity from 2.10am to 2.30am, especially taxi people, motorists and pedestrians. We also intend to speak to all 150 people who were in the nightclub that night,” he said.
Gardaí issued a CCTV image of a man and woman whom they wish to identify.
“Gardaí in Galway are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying two people who may be in a position to help them in their inquiries into the murder of Kieran Cunningham,” Supt Curley said.
He said the man was in his 20s, about 6ft tall and with dark, tightly cut hair. He was wearing a blue top with a logo “Sao Paulo 09” and blue stonewashed jeans. The woman is 5ft 6in in height, with dark hair tied back. She wore a purple top with black three-quarter length trousers. She had a black shoulder bag.
Supt Curley said that while Galway had been very busy for the past 10 days due to the Volvo Ocean Race stopover, the city centre was “unusually quiet” on Tuesday night and there were very few people on the street.
“Something out of the regular would have stood out and I am appealing for people to come forward. This was a horrific attack on this young man. He’s a young man, 5ft 1in in height who had an excellent record and was never in trouble with the gardaí.” Supt Curley confirmed that a knife was used in the attack. The victim was on his own when he was attacked and Supt Curley said there was no indication of an incident prior to his leaving the nightclub.
Kieran Cunningham is survived by his parents, Donie and Bernie, older brother Daniel and younger sister Karen. They were being comforted by family and friends at the family home at Slieve Finn in Corrandulla. Corrandulla parish priest Fr Hughie Loftus said the area was devastated by what had happened. “Kieran was a lovely, pleasant young man who was liked by anyone who was fortunate to meet him. It just goes so much against the grain that such an outgoing, happy young man should die in this way.”