Gardaí investigate assault that left city council worker critically injured

GARDAÍ in Cork have begun an investigation into an assault in the city at the weekend that has left a 57-year-old man in a critical condition in hospital.

The man, named locally as Patsy Deasy, a Cork City Council employee, from McGrath Park on Church Road, Blackrock, was seriously injured during an altercation outside the Red Cove Inn on Avenue de Rennes in Mahon in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The incident happened after one or two other people were ejected from the pub between 12.30am and 1am. A row broke out, during which gardaí believe Mr Deasy was pushed or slapped and fell backwards. It’s believed he struck his head on the ground upon falling. He was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery.

He remains in a critical condition in an induced coma at the hospital, where his family are keeping a bedside vigil.

Gardaí began an inquiry and believe between seven and 10 people were outside the pub and may have witnessed the incident.

Detectives have spoken to some of these witnesses and have appealed to anyone else who may have been in the pub or who saw the incident to contact Blackrock Garda station on 021-4536690 or Anglesea Street on 021-4522000.

Gardaí cordoned off the scene and technical experts began a forensic examination.

Gardaí also carried out door-to-door inquiries and began checking CCTV footage to try to establish what happened.