A MURDER investigation was launched last night after gardaí confirmed the death of one of the Polish men who suffered "horrific injuries" believed to have been inflicted with a screwdriver in Dublin at the weekend.
The two friends, both in their 20s, were stabbed in the head in a dispute in the Drimnagh area of Dublin on Saturday night.
It is understood one of the men slipped into a coma last night and died a short time later.
The second man remained in a critical condition in St James's Hospital.
Gardaí have arrested a 19-year-old for questioning in connection with the assault.
Supt Bart Faulkner said: "This is a terrible crime which has been committed not just against new members of our community but against the community itself. The good people of Drimnagh are appalled at what has happened in their neighbourhood.
"We are asking people to come forward with information and to work with us in achieving justice for these young men and their families."
Witnesses or anyone with information are requested to contact gardaí at Sundrive Road station.
The incident room number at Sundrive is 01-6666681, and the Garda confidential phone number is 1800-666111.
Gardaí believe the altercation, which happened shortly before 7pm on Benbulben Road, Drimnagh, may have been witnessed by a significant number of people.
Shops in the street were open at the time and a number of locals would have been making their way to the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Mourne Road, gardaí said.
The two men are understood to have been working in the construction industry in Dublin. One worked as a general operative and the other as a digger driver.
They had been enjoying a day off on Saturday when the altercation developed between them and a group of people outside a number of shops.
Following the incident gardaí at the scene sealed off an extensive section of Benbulben Road later on Saturday night for forensic examination.
Local reports said that the scuffles had taken place over a distance of some 100 metres, with many onlookers appalled at what was going on.
They are investigating whether the two Polish men were previously known to those who inflicted their wounds, which were described as "horrific".
Gardaí said they believe that the weapon involved was a screwdriver.
Officials at the Polish embassy in Dublin yesterday said they had been in contact with the families of the two men in Poland
They also said they had spoken to a Dublin-based brother of one of the men.
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