Bachelor died of stab wound to the chest

THE bachelor who was murdered outside his home in Croom, Co Limerick, early Saturday morning, died from a stab wound to the chest, a post mortem carried out yesterday revealed.

Gardaí believe that Liam O’Donovan was woken up by noises outside his house and when he looked out the window of his semi-detached bungalow, saw a man trying to steal his 1997 Hyundai car.

“It would seem he went out and when he challenged the person trying to take his car, he was attacked and stabbed,” a garda source said.

Mr O’Donovan’s body was discovered under a lorry near his house in St Sennan’s Terrace at around 7.30am on Saturday by a neighbour on his way to work.

Supt Joe Roe, who is heading the murder investigation said: “Mr O’Donovan died as a result of a violent assault and we would ask anybody who noticed anything suspicious in the area between 1.30am and 8am on Saturday to contact the gardaí (061 601630).

“This was a heinous crime carried out on a man who was one of the most popular members of the community in Croom.”

Teams of garda searchers were yesterday combing areas near the scene looking for the murder weapon and garda divers were called in to search the river Maigue.

It emerged yesterday that Mr O’Donovan, aged 59, was preparing to take part in a church ceremony on Saturday night to mark the first anniversary of the death of his mother, Catherine.

Locals said the late Mr O’Donovan idolised her.

Mr O’Donovan was last seen alive in the village when he attended an engagement party in Storan’s pub with his brother and friends.

He was a well known official with the local Croom United soccer club and coached under age teams.

Mr O’Donovan worked for Roche’s Feed company in Limerick.

Local curate, Fr Eamonn O’Brien anointed the body before it was removed to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital. “We are all deeply shocked. Liam was a great community worker. He was to bring up a candle during the offertory at Saturday night Mass in memory of his late mother whose first anniversary falls at this time,” Fr O’Brien said.

Neighbours wept openly on Saturday after his body was discovered and prayers were said near the scene.