Gardaí investigating the fatal stabbing at the Creane family home in Bray, Co Wicklow, last weekend have established that Shane Clancy drove to an all-night shop and bought knives after leaving Sebastian Creane home from a nightclub.
Clancy, a 22-year-old Trinity student from Dalkey, Co Dublin, then drove back to the Creane home at Cuala Grove, Bray, and stabbed Mr Creane to death with one of the knives. Mr Creane’s girlfriend, Jennifer Hannigan, from Killiney, Co Dublin, was stabbed in the back in the attack and his brother Dylan (28) was stabbed eight times. Both survived.
Garda sources say Clancy bought a block of knives from a shop between 3.30am and 4am on Sunday. Detectives are studying CCTV footage from a major retailer.
One of the knives bought was used in the stabbing. The remainder were found in Clancy’s car. Gardaí say the development in the case shows the attack was planned. Clancy had previously been in a relationship with Ms Hannigan and is believed to have carried out the stabbings because he was jealous of her new relationship with her fellow design student Sebastian Creane.
When he stabbed Ms Hannigan, the blade of Clancy’s knife lodged in her back. Clancy then grabbed a knife from the kitchen of the Creane home and used it to stab graphic designer Dylan Creane when he came from his bedroom to help his dying brother.
Clancy was later found fatally stabbed in the chest in the back garden of the Creane house. Gardaí are not seeking anybody for that death.
Despite being in the same group socialising on Saturday night, Sebastian Creane and Clancy were not friends. Mr Creane (22) had gone out with two friends, all former students at St Gerard’s in Bray, to the Eagle House pub in Sandycove.
They met a schoolfriend there who was with five people, including Clancy.
The group moved to the Queen’s Pub in Dalkey and on to the nearby Vico club. After the club, Clancy, who had not been drinking, offered to drive Sebastian Creane and his two friends home to Bray. Gardaí believe he did this to end the night alone with Sebastian Creane and to establish exactly where he lived.
Sebastian Creane’s two friends got out of the car at their house in Bray.Clancy then dropped Sebastian Creane home to Cuala Grove, arriving at about 3.30am.
From there, Clancy drove to a shop some distance away and purchased the knives. When he got back to the Creane home at about 4.30am to carry out the attack, Ms Hannigan had arrived from a night out with her own friends.
It is unclear if Clancy forced his way into the house or rang the door bell. Gardaí are hopeful Ms Hannigan and Dylan Creane will be able to provide answers when they are well enough to be interviewed.
