Man found beaten to death under bridge on eve of 25th birthday
Keith Ryan, of Farran Villas, Farranshone, near Limerick city centre, was found with multiple head injuries after he received a heavy beating, possibly from a number of men, sometime after 10.30pm on Thursday.
Gardai were last night continuing to question three men in their 20s in connection with the incident.
They were being held at Henry Street and Mayorstone stations under Section 4 of the Offences Against the State Act and can be detained for up to 12 hours.
Mr Ryan, who was single and who was known to gardai in relation to minor matters including intoxication in a public place, was found dead at the foot of steps leading down from Shannon Bridge.
Gardai were alerted after a passerby discovered the body along the walkway, which goes under the bridge.
Two men were seen running from the area a short time before the authorities were contacted and gardai have issued an appeal to motorists or pedestrians who saw anything suspicious in the area from 10.30pm onwards on Thursday to contact them. Mr Ryan was pronounced dead at the scene, which was preserved for State pathologist Marie Cassidy to conduct a preliminary examination of his remains before a full hospital-based post-mortem would be carried out. Gardai believe that Mr Ryan was murdered but said the attack was not related to any city feud.
Limerick gardai issued an appeal to the public for help with the investigation.
"We are particularly anxious to talk to anybody who witnessed an altercation that we believe took place shortly before the incident was reported to us," said Garda Ann Marie McMahon.
No weapon was recovered at the scene and early indications are that Mr Ryan may have been beaten or kicked to death.
Two weeks previously, Aidan Kelly (19), from College Avenue, Moyross, was shot from close range in a laneway at Blackwater, Co Clare.
- Eugene Hogan
