Man, 25, held over council worker’s death in pub row

Gardaí arrested a 25-year-old man yesterday in connection with the investigation into the death of a 57-year-old Cork City Council employee.

Detectives from Blackrock and Anglesea St Garda Stations arrested the man in Cork city centre at 9.15am under Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

He was taken to the Bridewell Garda Station where he was questioned in connection with the death of Patsy Deasy.

Mr Deasy, who had been a member of the council’s gardening staff, suffered head injuries during a row outside a pub in Mahon in the early hours of last Saturday.

The arrested man, believed to be from the Mahon area, was being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

Under the legislation, gardaí are entitled to question him for up to 24 hours before having to decide whether to charge or release him.

Mr Deasy, from McGrath Park, Blackrock had been attending a 60th birthday party at the pub in Avenue De Rennes with his wife Ann where the assault occurred.

It is believed, as a result of an incident, the grandfather hit his head on a pavement.

He was taken to Cork University Hospital and put on a life-support machine. However, he died on Monday last.

A postmortem carried out at CUH by assistant state pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, revealed Mr Deasy died of an injury to his brain.

Superintendent Barry McPolin, leading the garda investigation, said statements had been taken from more than 100 people who had been in the area around the time a row broke out.

Gardaí have also examined extensive CCTV footage taken at the scene.

Supt McPolin said that a dedicated team of up to 30 officers was working on the case.

He added that, to date, gardaí had “received excellent cooperation from the public”.

Mr Deasy’s removal will take place at 7.30pm today from Temple Hill funeral home, Boreenmanna Road to St Michael’s Church, Blackrock.

He will be buried following requiem mass at 10am tomorrow.