THE CHIEF suspect for the murder of a man who died after being kicked into a coma during a night out at the weekend has presented himself to gardaí.
The dead man has been named as Barry Walsh (22), from Park Lawn, Castleknock, Dublin 15.
Mr Walsh was attacked at Fairview Park, Marino Mart, on the northside of the city shortly after he had left a nearby nightclub just after 3am on Sunday. He never regained consciousness and died in hospital from his head injuries.
Gardaí believe two groups of young men were involved in a row at Fairview Park after leaving Barcode nightclub in the Westwood leisure complex on Clontarf Road.
Mr Walsh appears to have become separated from his friends and tried to run to safety. However, he was chased to the edge of Fairview Park opposite Marino College and was punched in the face by his attacker.
Gardaí believe Mr Walsh fell face first to the ground and was most likely knocked out at that stage. He then received a number of kicks to the head. His head was also stamped on.
A large number of young people who had been in Barcode were in the area at the time and witnessed the incident.
An ambulance was called and Mr Walsh was taken to the Mater hospital. He was later transferred to Beaumont Hospital where he died on Tuesday afternoon when his life-support machine was switched off.
Gardaí have spoken to a man in his 20s from Dublin’s north inner city. The man is being treated as the chief suspect in the case. He went to Clontarf Garda station with his father after news of Mr Walsh’s death became public.
While the suspect has been interviewed by gardaí he has spoken to investigating officers voluntarily and has not yet been arrested.
Mr Walsh is survived by his parents Bernard and Ena, his younger brother Adam and his girlfriend Louise. The 22-year-old was working as an apprentice electrician for a refrigeration company.
Fr Dan Joe O’Mahony of the Laurel Lodge parish said he knew the Walsh family and that the entire community had been “deeply shocked” by the killing.
“This is like Annabel’s all over again,” he said, referring to the fatal attack on Brian Murphy outside Annabel’s disco in Ballsbridge on August 31st, 2000.
“My heart bleeds for the family. The people who did this should be brought to the coffin and shown – ‘look, you did this, you killed a man’.”
Barcode is located in the Westwood fitness complex on Clontarf Road and is owned by Templeville Developments, based in Leopardstown, south Dublin.
While gardaí are satisfied with the line of inquiry they are pursuing, they are still keen to speak to anybody who was in Barcode on Saturday night.
They have also appealed for any taxi drivers in the area at the time or anybody else who may have witnessed the attack to contact them at Clontarf Garda station on 01-6664800.