Limerick gardaí appeal for information on drowned man

Gardaí in Limerick have widened their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a 22-year-old man whose body was found in the River Shannon at the weekend.

The body of William O'Donoghue, of The Garrison, Kilbready, Kilcornan, Co Limerick, was recovered from the river near Howley's Quay in Limerick city.

The alarm was raised after the body was spotted by passers-by last Saturday afternoon. A post mortem carried out by pathologist Michael Curtis at the Mid Western Regional Hospital yesterday revealed that the 22-year-old died as a result of drowning.

However, gardaí in Limerick are still anxious to confirm Mr O'Donoghue's last movements and have appealed to anyone who may have seen him in the city last Friday night to contact them.

The 22-year-old had been out socialising with friends in Limerick city and was last seen when he went to buy food.

He then became separated from his group of friends, who believed he had gone home. Gardaí are examining CCTV footage taken from a fast-food outlet in the city centre in a bid to trace his final movements.

"We are still investigating the circumstances of his movements on the night in question and we are trying to establish what happened after he parted company from his friends," said the Garda spokesman.

"We would ask anyone who saw him in the city that night or who has any information to contact the gardaí at Henry Street Garda Station on 061-212400," he added.

Mr O'Donoghue who is survived by his parents, William and Frances, his brothers and sister, will be removed from the family home in Kilbready tomorrow evening at 7.30pm.

Burial will take place on Thursday in Kilcornan Cemetery following 12 noon Mass at St John the Baptist Church in Kilcornan.