GARDAÍ ARE investigating the possibility that the death of a Co Offaly publican who was found tied up may be related to a similar incident in the midlands last month.
Matt Farrell (64) was found dead by his son Matthew yesterday morning in the downstairs area of the Gaelic Bar in Daingean at about 7.30am.
Mr Farrell had last been seen alive by his employee Catherine Stapleton at about 2.30am.
Ms Stapleton said the premises had been burgled three times in the last decade, the last incident happening two years ago. She said robbers may have got up on the flat roof at the back of the pub.
A preliminary investigation was carried out by the Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis yesterday afternoon and Mr Farrell’s body was removed to the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore, Co Offaly, for a postmortem. The results will be announced this morning.
Local people said they believed there were no marks on his body and that Mr Farrell, who was unwell, may have died of a heart attack. He had been sleeping on a couch as he suffered from arthritis and was a large man who had difficulty climbing the stairs.
In a similar incident last month, two men, armed with a handgun and baseball bat, tied up a publican and two of his customers at Gunning’s pub at Rathconrath near Mullingar about 40km away. Rural pubs and hotels are frequently targeted by Dublin-based gangs and gardaí believe that Mr Farrell’s death was a result of a robbery that went wrong.
Garda spokesman Supt John Gilligan said it was too early in the investigation to link Mr Farrell’s death to other break-ins, but officers will be carrying out a review of all “serious incidents that have happened this year”.
“When an investigation like this takes place we examine other cases that may have happened in the area in the last year whether in the county or adjoining counties,” he said.
He said about 100 officers were involved in the investigation and the Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy had been in direct contact with senior officers.
“We have, in relation to every aspect of this investigation, from technical to air support and the division search team, over 100 people involved.
“We in the Garda believe the protection of life and property comes before everything else. We immediately have to adopt an approach that every possible resource is given to this investigation,” he said.
Supt Gilligan said Mr Farrell was a “well-known and well-liked” person locally. He appealed to local people who may have seen anything out of the ordinary in recent weeks to come forward.
An incident room has been set up at Tullamore Garda station at 057 9328078.