Gardaí in Longford town have arrested a man in connection with a fatal stabbing incident on Tuesday.
A man in his early 30s was discovered with chest wounds in the Great Water Street area of the town at about 11.50am.
He was taken to the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar and was pronounced dead later in the day.
A 24-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident in the Longford area on Tuesday afternoon.
He was last night being detained at Longford Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
Longford Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus Butler said people in the town were in “shock” after the incident.
He extended his sympathy to the family of the victim.
“Fatal stabbings may be commonplace in Dublin but this is a rare and shocking incident to have happened in a provincial town like Longford,” he said.
“At a recent joint policing committte meeting, gardaí in Longford indicated crime in all areas was down in the past year.
“A stabbing incident like this is very unusual in Longford and it is a terrible tragedy,” he said.
Gardaí are appealing for anyone who may have been in the Great Water Street/Rue Noyal Chatillon area between 11.30am and noon on Tuesday to contact Longford Garda station on 043-3350570, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666111 or any Garda station.