GARDAÍ investigating the murder of retired farmer Finbar Fahy (78) at his home in south Galway earlier this week have arrested a man in his early 20s.
The man was arrested late yesterday afternoon in Gort, Co Galway, and was detained at Gort Garda station under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. He can be held for up to 24 hours.
Earlier yesterday, gardaí continued house-to-house inquiries and mounted checkpoints to seek information from drivers who may have passed Mr Fahy’s home on the N18 Galway-Limerick road, between Gort and Ardrahan, between Tuesday evening and Wednesday, when he is believed to have been attacked and killed.
Up to 150 lines of inquiry have been opened as a result of the public response to date, according to Garda Press Officer Supt John Gilligan.
Mr Fahy’s body was found by a family member at 8am last Wednesday in the living room of his home and gardaí were notified. The area was sealed off, but it was initially believed that he had been the victim of an accident.
Postmortem results released by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis on Thursday showed that Mr Fahy had sustained head injuries due to blunt force trauma. He had also sustained defensive wounds on the arms and hands.
As a result, the investigation was upgraded to murder on Thursday evening.
Early indications on Thursday were that there had been no forced entry to the house, but Supt Gilligan said a forensic examination of the premises had to be completed before family members could establish if anything was taken.
“We have to establish a motive,” Supt Gilligan said yesterday, responding to reports that Mr Fahy may have been the victim of an attempted robbery.
Mr Fahy’s three sons, Noel, Aidan and Gerry, are involved in farming, live close by and were being comforted by neighbours.
Fr Richie Higgins, parish priest in Ardrahan, saw Mr Fahy last Tuesday, as he said the widower visited his wife’s grave at Labane cemetery almost every day. Fr Higgins, who expressed shock on behalf of the community, said he was due to celebrate the 12th anniversary Mass for Ciss Fahy next Tuesday.
“Finbar Fahy was a wonderful man, a wonderful storyteller and a man identified by his way of life – using the bicycle to go to the shop in the morning to get bread and to visit the cemetery,” Fr Higgins said.
“He was very close to his wife and hit very hard by her sudden death due to a heart attack. She had taught in the local school and was a wonderful teacher.”
“He would come into Mass every Saturday at 5.30pm, light two or three candles and chat to friends. He loved talking to people, but he was also a private man.
“He has brothers and sisters in Galway, including Sister Ida in the Mercy Convent, and he lost one brother a few years ago,” Fr Higgins added. “The family was very involved in hurling and football and Francis was everybody’s friend.”
“There’s a terrible sadness here now,” Fr Higgins continued. “We have 700 families in this parish. Earlier this year, we were celebrating the first ordination of a priest here in 50 years, but now we are devastated and there is emptiness in our hearts.”
Mr Fahy’s body was still being held at Galway University Hospital yesterday and his funeral is not expected for several days.