A 23-year-old unemployed man was yesterday remanded in custody after he was charged with the murder of his father at the family home near Littleton outside Thurles in Co Tipperary on Sunday.
Paul Lane, from Ballydavid, Littleton, was charged at a scheduled sitting of Limerick District Court with the murder of his father, Christy Lane, at Ballydavid, Littleton on September 3rd contrary to common law.
Christy Lane died at Waterford Regional Hospital at 11.50pm on Sunday night after suffering gunshot wounds while watching the All-Ireland minor hurling final between Tipperary and Galway on television in his home earlier in the day.
Yesterday, Det Garda Kathleen Pearse of Thurles Garda station told the court how the son of the deceased was arrested on Sunday afternoon and how he made no reply after caution when arrested. He was charged yesterday with the murder.
At the request of Supt Tony Cogan of Thurles Garda station, Judge Tom O'Donnell remanded Paul Lane in custody to appear again at Thurles District Court on Friday.
Mr Lane's solicitor, Brian Hughes, asked Judge O'Donnell to make a direction that his client receive all medical assistance while in custody. The judge ordered that he be medically assessed and receive all necessary treatment while in Limerick prison.
Mr Lane, who was granted free legal aid, covered his face with his red shirt and his hands when he was first brought into the courtroom from the holding cells at Limerick courthouse. He later uncovered his face, though he didn't speak during the three-minute hearing.
A former worker in the catering sector, he sat flanked by plainclothes officers during the brief hearing. Afterwards he was quickly escorted from the courthouse by gardaí to a waiting unmarked Garda car.
A native of Mallow in north Cork, Christy Lane worked as a shift supervisor at the Bord na Móna peat briquette factory at Littleton.
He is survived by his wife, Mary, sons, Michael, Paul, David, Brendan and Patrick, and daughter, Mary Margaret.
Mr Lane's remains will lie in repose at Egan's funeral home on the Dublin Road in Thurles this evening from 5pm until 7.30pm when they will removed to St James's Church in Two Mile Borris.
Mr Lane's funeral mass will take place at 11.30am tomorrow and he will be buried afterwards at Littleton Cemetery, adjacent to St Kevin's Church in Littleton.