A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of 34-year-old father of two Joseph McEvoy in west Dublin on Monday morning. Mr McEvoy was found unresponsive outside a house on the Shancastle estate and was taken to hospital, where he died from apparent stab injuries after efforts to save him were not successful.
Christopher Kelly (41) of Shancastle Park, Clondalkin, appeared before Dublin District Court on Tuesday afternoon charged with murder. He was remanded in custody by Judge David McHugh.
He is accused of killing Mr McEvoy of Greenfort Avenue, Clondalkin, at Shancastle Close, where the victim was found just before 6am by gardaí and paramedics responding to emergency calls.
Det Sgt Sean Cosgrave told Tuesday’s court sitting he arrested Mr Kelly at Ronanstown Garda station just after 3pm for the purposes of charging him. When he was charged with murder about an hour later he made no reply, the court was told.
The accused was granted free legal aid after Sam Friel BL, for Mr Kelly, told the court his client was not in receipt of social welfare at present and was facing a very serious charge.
No application for bail was made as such an application can only be made to the High Court in a case involving a murder charge. Mr Kelly did not address the court during the hearing and was not required to enter a plea. He was remanded in custody and will appear before Cloverhill District Court on Friday.
The investigation into Mr McEvoy’s murder is being carried out under a senior investigating officer at Lucan Garda station. A Garda family liaison officer has also been appointed to support the victim’s family.
The coroner has been informed of Mr McEvoy’s death and a postmortem on the dead man’s remains was conducted by the Office of the State Pathologist, with the results forming part of the Garda investigation.
The scene where Mr McEvoy was discovered unresponsive was sealed off and underwent an examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau on Monday. Gardaí have also appealed for any witnesses, or anyone with information, to come forward and aid the murder investigation.
Mr McEvoy was still alive when gardaí and paramedics arrived at the scene and was initially treated in situ. However, he was pronounced dead after being taken to Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown.
Mr McEvoy was club captain at Clondalkin-based Quarryvale FC, with the club paying tribute to him and saying its members were “devastated” by his death.
“The nicest man you’d ever meet and an absolute warrior on the pitch,” the club said. “Big Joe Mac was the life of every party and nothing will feel the same with him gone. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this horrible time.”
