GARDAÍ IN Louth have appealed for public assistance as they investigate a vicious assault on a young man which has left him fighting for his life.
The 25-year-old victim, from Clogherhead, was described by a spokeswoman for the HSE yesterday as being in a critical condition in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.
He sustained a serious head injury and was being treated in intensive care.
Garda Supt Gerry Smith, Drogheda, said an incident room had been set up and an investigation was being conducted including house-to-house inquiries. “We are fully investigating the circumstances in relation to the injuries sustained by this man in the course of a fracas outside a pub in Clogherhead.”
The row took place outside the Harbour Bar on Harbour road in Clogherhead at about 1-1.30am yesterday.
Supt Smith appealed for any witnesses to the row or anyone with information to make contact with gardaí on 041-9838777.
The Harbour road, which is a few metres from the main street in Clogherhead, was closed until yesterday afternoon while gardaí carried out a technical examination of the scene.
It is understood this included looking for anything that may have been used to inflict the head injuries sustained by the victim.
At the request of the gardaí the appeal for help from the public was also made at Mass yesterday morning by parish priest Fr Paul Clayton-Lea, who said: “Hopefully people will come forward; I also asked people to keep the family in their prayers – it is a dreadful wait for them.”
“It is cat, I hope he pulls through,” said a local man who was in school with the victim but did not wish to give his name.
Another man said: “It is a lovely place here, and I never expected to find something like that would happen here.”
The victim is from a fishing family and has lived most of his life in nearby Fr Murray Park.