‘Innocent’ youth dies in Halloween stabbing spree

Separate knife attacks over Halloween night in Dublin left one man dead and another two fighting for their lives.

And three youths from two rowing families were hospitalised after a fight and a fourth member was arrested carrying a hatchet.

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old man was injured in a stabbing in Beamount Hospital while being treated for other injuries and, in Darndale, a man in his 30s was stabbed.

In the south inner city, gardaí are investigating the fatal stabbing of a 21-year-old man in the Oliver Bond flats complex just before 2.45am.

Lorcan O’Reilly, also known as Lorcan Rooney, from nearby Robert Emmet Close, was described by local sources as “an innocent, decent fella”, who was not known to gardaí for crime.

He suffered a single stab wound to the chest, which pierced his heart.

Gardaí believe there were 15 to 20 young people in the large courtyard at the time, broken up into different groups. Gardaí are trying to identify who was there and who was with Mr O’Reilly.

“Everyone is saying he was an innocent young fella, decent, a lovely fella,” said one well-placed source.

Gardaí will spend at least two days conducting door-to-door inquiries in the eight or nine blocks facing the stepped, railed courtyard.

It is thought that, so far, few people are coming forward with information. While there are cameras in the flats, it is not yet clear if they are working.

Meanwhile, a 22-year-old is fighting for his life after being stabbed while attending a bonfire in Mulhuddart, north west Dublin, at 7.15pm.

The youth received two knife wounds to his liver. He underwent emergency surgery on Halloween night. His condition is described as critical.

Gardaí said there did not appear to be any row at the bonfire beforehand. It is believed a man, wearing a hoodie, “targeted” the victim.

The bonfire was attended by large numbers of locals in Drumheath. The victim managed to walk the short distance to his home and alerted his parents.

Gardaí said there was nothing in the youth’s background to suggest a motive behind the attack. They are talking to his family and conducting inquiries.

In a third incident, in Clarehall, north Dublin, a 25-year-old man received a single stab wound, causing serious injury.

He was attacked following a public order incident involving a group of people at Templeview Avenue at 1.10am.

Two other males received minor injuries. Gardaí in Coolock are investigating.

In a fourth incident, two families fought each other after a night’s drinking in Ballymun, north Dublin.

At 9.15am they clashed outside one of the homes and three men were hospitalised. At 11am gardaí arrested a fourth man on the road armed with a hatchet. All four are aged in their 20s.

It comes as Dublin Fire Brigade said they dealt with 700 calls between 4pm and 8am. Most were calls to bonfires, although there were at least 19 house fires. There were 28 ambulance call outs, including to 26 unconscious cases, many related to alcohol or assaults.

In one case in Kilbarrack, a man smashed the window of an ambulance after he tried to remove a patient from the vehicle.

In two cases, in Clonsilla and Balbriggan, crews came under fire from youths.