Gardai in Drogheda launched a murder inquiry yesterday after the death of a man who had been severely beaten on a green just yards from his front door, possibly with a plank of timber and a spade.
It appears that Mr Edward "Ned" Reay (46), of Moneymore, a father of four, was assaulted after getting involved in an altercation involving four others, two of whom were later arrested by gardai.
Some reports suggest the row started on Saturday night in a nearby pub where some of the victim's children were socialising. Mr Reay was in his home around 2 a.m. when the row continued outside the house. During that altercation glass in the porch of the Reays' home was broken. Gardai believe Mr Reay then left the house in the direction of two men, both in their 20s and from the town, and another row broke out on a green area a short distance from the house.
A local youth said he saw a man severely beat Mr Reay with a plank of wood.
The Garda forensic team later recovered a five-foot plank of timber, hammer, spade and fork from the green. A local person rang gardai at 2.15 a.m. and another resident alerted ambulance control.
Gardai began a search for the two allegedly involved and arrested one man in his home around 4 a.m. It is understood the second man called to the Garda station to make a complaint that he was the victim of an assault. The investigation into Mr Reay's death led to him being arrested around 7 a.m.
Both were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows for their detention for an initial period of 12 hours. The men were later released and a file is being prepared for the DPP, according to gardai.
Neighbours were shocked at the death and the use of violence. Without exception they spoke highly of the dead man. "Everybody is shocked. He was a lovely man who lived for his family." "He is one of the nicest people you could meet. He wouldn't pass you by without giving you a lift," were typical of comments on the victim.
Mr Reay has a wife, three sons and a daughter.
He was taken by ambulance to the Lourdes Hospital and it was decided to transfer him to hospital in Dublin but his condition deteriorated and he was returned to the Lourdes, where he died from his injuries.
The State pathologist, Dr John Harbison, carried out a post-mortem yesterday afternoon.