Youth questioned over fatal stabbing

Gardaí were last night continuing to detain an 18-year-old youth in connection with a fatal stabbing early yesterday morning which claimed the life of a 31-year-old father of two in Dublin.

The attack was one of four stabbings on the east coast during Halloween celebrations marred by violence.

The man killed in Blanchardstown was named as Mr Michael Murphy, of Fort Lawn Avenue, Blanchardstown. Mr Murphy was stabbed about a dozen times in the face and chest after he became involved in a row with the teenager in the Budabar in the west Dublin suburb.

The row spilled over onto the street outside just after midnight and Mr Murphy was fatally stabbed outside a nearby McDonald's restaurant.

A large number of people were in the vicinity at the time and came to Mr Murphy's aid. An ambulance was called and the dying man was taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital. Staff worked on him for almost three hours but he was pronounced dead at 4 a.m.

Gardaí have already interviewed a number of people who saw the fight. However, they believe they have yet to make contact with a large number who witnessed the events and have appealed for anybody with any information to contact them at Blanchardstown Garda station.

The scene of the killing was sealed off yesterday and a full examination was carried out by members of the Garda Technical Bureau. The weapon had not been recovered late last night.

Garda sources said the victim and his attacker were not known to each other. The motive was not immediately clear but detectives believe the men simply became involved in a row at the Budabar which quickly escalated out of control.

Gardaí have retrieved CCTV footage from a number of commercial premises in the area and will continue to study it today. At least some of the fatal attack was captured on film, Garda sources said.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Dundalk, Co Louth, are investigating an attack early yesterday morning during which a man was beaten by a gang of three outside a pub in the Seatown area of the town.

The 24-year-old victim suffered a flesh wound to the side of his head which gardaí believe was inflicted with a knife. He was being treated at Louth County Hospital. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. No arrests have been made.

There were two other attacks in Ballymun, Dublin, and Arklow, Co Wicklow, in the early hours of yesterday during which two men were stabbed.

A 29-year-old man was stabbed at a house on Balcurris Road, Ballymun, at about 5 a.m. No arrests have been made. A 25-year-old man was attacked by a group of men and stabbed at 3 a.m. on the main street of Arklow town. Nobody has yet been arrested.

Neither of the two victims' injuries were life-threatening.