Man’s death: post mortem result awaited

GARDAÍ are awaiting the results of a post mortem examination on the body of a man in his early 60s found with a serious head injury at a house in Cork city.

A post mortem was under way last night to determine the cause of the death of Donal Manley. The findings of the examination will in turn determine the status of the Garda investigation.

Mr Manley’s body was discovered by gardaí after they were called to the house at around 8.30pm last Sunday. Neighbours had alerted gardaí after they became concerned that they hadn’t seen him for some time. When gardaí arrived they found the man’s body on the ground floor of his house at High Street, near the South Infirmary/Victoria University Hospital, where he had lived alone for 20 years.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Declan Gilsenan visited the house to carry out a preliminary post mortem. Mr Manley’s body was then removed to Cork University Hospital where Dr Gilsenan later carried out a full post mortem, the result of which is expected to be known today.

Garda forensic experts also examined the house.

Superintendent Michael Finn, who is leading the Garda investigation, said: “At this stage we are treating the man’s death as suspicious.”

Mr Manley was last seen standing outside his house at around lunchtime last Friday. Neighbours who would normally chat to him a few times a day became concerned when the unemployed man wasn’t seen. He had worked for a time as a barman in the Sextant bar in Cork city.

“We want to hear from anybody who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the vicinity between lunchtime last Friday and 8.30pm last Sunday, no matter how insignificant they think their information might be,” said Supt Finn.

Anybody with information is asked to contact Anglesea Street Garda Station at 021 4522000.