Man arrested for 2005 Irene White murder 24 hours after killer jailed

Man in his 40s being held for questioning at Dundalk Garda station on Tuesday evening

Just 24 hours after a man was jailed for the stabbing murder of Irene White in Dundalk in 2005 another suspect has been arrested.

He is in his 40s and was being questioned at Dundalk Garda station on Tuesday evening after his arrest in the Co Louth town.

He was being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act which allows him to be questioned for 24 hours without charge.

Gardaí suspect he has information about the murder of Ms White and played a role in assisting a three-person conspiracy to murder her.

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One of the three - Anthony Lambe (35) from Annadrumman, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan - carried out the murder. One of the other men was the prime mover in the conspiracy in that he wanted Ms White dead and paid for her killing.

And a third man effectively assisted the plan. Gardaí suspect the man in custody was that third man.

Lambe was jailed for life on Monday. He agreed to murder the mother of three in exchange for a fee 13 years ago.

He was addicted to alcohol and other drugs at the time. He later left Ireland for Australia where he confided in a woman what he had done.

And when she saw appeals for information in the media in Ireland she contacted the Garda.

Members of the force travelled to Australia to interview her and Lambe was eventually arrested in Ireland.

By the time he was arrested and charged he had largely turned his life around.

He had returned to college to study history and had done a lot of charity work, apparently motivated by guilt at having carried out the murder.

He admitted he had stabbed Ms White to death. She died, of 34 stab wounds, in the kitchen of her home, the Ice House, Demesne Road, Dundalk, on April 6th, 2005.

Despite the fact Lambe was jailed for life on Monday, Garda sources said they were determined to pursue others.

Conor Lally

Conor Lally

Conor Lally is Security and Crime Editor of The Irish Times