Gardaí continued to hold a man and two youths last night over the fatal stabbing of a 26-year-old man outside a house party in Ballymun, Dublin, in the early hours of yesterday morning.
James Donoghue was stabbed to death after a group of at least three people attempted to "gatecrash" the party at Cairn Court shortly after 2am yesterday.
An altercation ensued after they were refused entry to the party, where at least a dozen people were gathered. Mr Donoghue was stabbed with a knife and was discovered shortly afterwards on nearby Dane Road. He was pronounced dead about two hours later at the Mater hospital.
Gardaí have 12 hours to charge or release the individuals who are being questioned in connection with the murder. They were being held yesterday under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. However, officers were last night understood to be hopeful that charges will be brought within this timeframe in relation to the incident .
Mr Donoghue is understood to have worked for a waste disposal company and to have been from the Coolock area. It is believed the party was to celebrate a family occasion, and was taking place in his grandmother's home.
Gardaí at Ballymun are investigating and the scene was sealed off yesterday for technical examination.
A postmortem examination was completed yesterday, but gardaí declined to reveal the results.
Mr Donoghue's aunt, Aileen Dempsey, told RTÉ News that he had been at two 21st birthday celebrations and was also celebrating his girlfriend's 25th birthday.
"And he thought he was celebrating it today [ Sunday]," she said. "He thought he was going out for dinner today, but he's not going out celebrating his dinner, he's on the slab."
Mr Donoghue's death follows a similar incident last March in which a 22-year-old mother of one was shot dead at a house party at Adare Green in nearby Coolock.
Donna Cleary was in the "wrong place at the wrong time" when a gunman opened fire shortly after 2.30am on March 5th last. Her death, and the events which followed it, provoked a public outcry at the time.
Last July, the Dublin Coroner's court heard that gardaí are continuing to investigate the shooting. Two days after Ms Cleary's shooting, one of the chief suspects arrested in relation to her death, Dwayne Foster (24), died in Garda custody.
A Garda spokesman yesterday said that they remain anxious to interview any witnesses to Mr Donoghue's murder.
He also appealed for anybody with information to contact gardaí.
Meanwhile, gardaí from Cabinteely Garda station, Dublin are investigating an incident in which an 18-year-old man received neck wounds after he was stabbed with a broken bottle at Leopardstown Racecourse between 5.30pm and 6pm on Saturday.
Gardaí have arrested a 24-year- old man in connection with the incident and are appealing for witnesses.