Youth held after stabbing of boy outside chipper

The father of a 14-year-old boy stabbed to death in Ennis on Saturday night said yesterday that his son was killed for no reason.

Last night, gardaí were continuing to question a 17-year-old Ennis youth in relation to the fatal stabbing in the chest of Michael Doherty, a settled Traveller, outside Supermac's fast-food restaurant on Ennis's O'Connell Street before 11pm on Saturday night.

At the family home on Ennis's Kilrush Road yesterday, his father, John Doherty, said: "Michael went into Supermac's to buy a bag of chips with a friend. Some fella came up to Michael, but Michael walked away saying 'I don't want any trouble', but then there was some pushing and Michael was stabbed. A fight was picked on him for no reason and he was killed for no reason."

Mr Doherty described Michael "as very quiet. He was big for his age and wouldn't have been violent like that or in trouble before."

Mr Doherty said Michael had gone for something to eat after spending the day at the Spancilhill Horse Fair near Ennis where Michael was "driving" a horse.

O'Connell Street in Ennis was yesterday sealed off as members from the Garda Technical Bureau examined the scene. A postmortem was last night taking place at Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick by Assistant State Pathologist Michael Curtis.

Supt John Scanlan of Ennis Garda station yesterday appealed for witnesses in relation to the fatal stabbing, confirming they were called to the scene of an altercation on Saturday night.

The 17-year-old being questioned by gardaí is from the settled community and can be held at Ennis Garda station for 24 hours under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Michael was a second-year student at Ennis Community College and had one brother and eight sisters. He was the eldest son and his father said: "We're devastated. Michael will be a big loss."

Relatives and friends were yesterday visiting the Doherty home to express their sympathy and offer support.

Family friend Bernard McDonagh said: "He was like a son to me, he grew up with one of my young lads. He was one of the quietest young lads that ever walked this town.

"He did a bit of amateur boxing and he loved his horses. They were his life. He was out at the fair driving a horse and went into Supermac's for a bag of chips on the way home and a knife was put through him . . .

"His father and mother are devastated. He was John's pride and joy. Michael was his companion and his helper."

Mr McDonagh arrived at the scene outside Supermac's on Saturday night and expressed frustration at the length of time it had taken the emergency services to arrive.

He said: "Michael was just minding his own business. Michael looked very proud at the fair, he was so happy there."

Michael was the second member of the wider Doherty family to die in violent circumstances - a number of years ago, his uncle, Thomas, was fatally stabbed at a halting site in Dublin.

He was also the second Traveller to suffer a violent death in Ennis this year. On January 26th, Charlie McDonagh of Bridge View, Roslevan, Ennis, died after an altercation at his home. His brother Patrick has since been charged in connection with his death.

Saturday's fatal stabbing follows three suspected suicides within the Traveller community in the past month in Ennis.

Mr McDonagh said: "It has been a very bad few weeks. I know when people take their own lives, nobody will ever know what is on their minds, but when a person is killed like this, it is something else again."

The Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, said yesterday: "I am very saddened by the news and offer my sincerest sympathy who are affected by this tragedy.

"We have had a number of tragedies in recent weeks here in Ennis that have cast a cloud of darkness over our community."