The funeral service of Oliver Lacey, the 51-year-old widower who was beaten to death in the front garden of his Co Kildare home last weekend, will be held tomorrow morning.
Mr Lacey died after he was repeatedly punched and kicked in an unprovoked attack by a gang of up to 10 youths early on Saturday morning.
He had been attempting to protect his son and two other young men at the time of the assault. The two local youths, friends of Mr Lacey's son Oliver jnr, had sought refuge at the house on Celbridge Road, Leixlip from the gang who had followed them from the village of Leixlip shortly after midnight on Friday.
On hearing shouting from the front garden, Mr Lacey's son went outside to help his friends and was immediately attacked by the gang, who are believed to be from the nearby village of Celbridge. Mr Lacey came to his son's assistance and managed to secure his escape and that of his two friends into the house. He then attempted to close his front gate to stop the attackers, who began to punch and kick him. Witnesses have told gardaí that Mr Lacey was pulled to the ground and kicked several times in the head and body.
Some witnesses reported that he was also hit with large piece of wood that appeared to be the leg of a chair.
His attackers then fled, leaving him unconscious in the driveway. Mr Lacey was taken to Connolly hospital in Blanchardstown where he died seven hours later.
Gardaí said yesterday they were in the process of preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
However, they said the file was not yet ready to be sent to the DPP because they were still waiting for certain key witnesses to come forward.
Officers from the Garda Technical Bureau finished their forensic examinations at the house late on Sunday. Mr Lacey's two sons, Oliver and Mark - both in their 20s - are understood to be staying with relatives nearby.
Mr Lacey's body will be removed to Our Lady's Nativity church in Leixlip at 6pm tonight before the funeral at 11am tomorrow.
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