GARDAÍ ARE appealing to anyone who may have witnessed a stabbing which claimed the life of a 24-year-old man in Kiltimagh, Co Mayo, at about midnight on Tuesday to come forward and assist them with their inquiries.
Frankie (Francis) Heneghan, Kinturk, Ballyheane, Castlebar, was found with knife wounds slumped in a laneway at the rear of Main Street by patrolling gardaí.
He died at the scene despite efforts by the gardaí to assist him.
Mr Heneghan worked occasionally in construction, and had been living for some time in Balla – about eight miles from Kiltimagh – with his partner and their two children, a girl (5) and a boy (4).
He was the youngest of a family of nine. His parents are Brendan and Eileen Heneghan.
Shortly before the stabbing at about 11.45pm, gardaí were called to deal with a public order incident in which a number of young people were involved, at Main Street.
The killing, described by Swinford-based Garda Supt Ronan Galligan yesterday as “a mindless, senseless, violent act”, has deeply shocked the local community. Supt Galligan said: “It is out of character for Kiltimagh or any town in Mayo to have such violence perpetrated on an individual and we are looking for the help of the public to see can we establish exactly what has happened.”
The alley where the stabbing took place remained sealed off by gardaí yesterday for technical examination.
The body was taken to Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar yesterday afternoon where a full postmortem was carried out.
Supt Galligan said his team was particularly anxious to talk to a number of young people who had congregated in the area before the crime took place.
“We know there were a number of young people in the area at the time and we are appealing to those people to come forward and help us establish exactly what led to this mindless, senseless, violent, act,” he said:
“This was an absolutely horrendous crime to be committed in a country town. A young man is now dead and we want these people to come forward and do their civic duty and let us know what they know”.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to come forward and contact them at 094–9252990 or on the Garda Confidential line 1800 666 111.