A Laois man has been charged with the murder of Ciara Ní Chathmhaoil in Carlow last Monday.
Gordon Molloy (23), Ballinakill, Ballickmoyler, Co Laois, appeared at Castlecomer District Court in Co Kilkenny yesterday.
The body of Ms Ní Chathmhaoil (22) was found in the upstairs bathroom of the terraced house which she rented at Ardmore Gardens in the Browns Hill area of Carlow town last Monday afternoon.
The emergency services had been called to the house. She had been stabbed a number of times.
The woman had been named locally and in media reports as Ciara Campbell, the English version of her name by which she was known to her friends in Carlow. Her four-year-old son Jamie, who was in the house at the time of the incident, was not injured and is being cared for by relatives.
Mr Molloy was taken from Carlow Garda station to Castlecomer in an unmarked Garda car yesterday morning.
His left hand was bandaged and he wore a navy hooded Nike tracksuit. He covered his face with a jacket as he was escorted into court by gardaí.
Mr Molloy was accompanied by members of his family and a young woman clung to his side as they waited for the case to be called.
Det Sgt Ger Egan told the court that he had arrested Mr Molloy at 10.31am yesterday at Carlow Garda station and, at 11.27am, he charged him with the murder of Ms Ní Chathmhaoil.
Det Sgt Egan said that in reply to the murder charge, Mr Molloy said: "I'm sorry; I wish I didn't do it".
Mr Molloy was represented by Carlow solicitor Brendan O'Flaherty who requested and was granted free legal aid for his client.
Judge Aeneas McCarthy remanded Mr Molloy in custody to Cloverhill Prison and ordered him to appear at Cloverhill District Court next Tuesday at 10.30am.
Ms Ní Chathmhaoil, a native of Belfast, had lived most of her life in Tallaght, Dublin, before moving, first to Athy, Co Kildare, four years ago, and then to Carlow earlier this year.