Gardaí launch murder probe into slurry death

Detectives tonight launched a murder investigation after tests on a man’s body removed from a slurry tank on a remote farm in west Co Cork showed he died violently.

A post mortem examination revealed that the man, whose remains were recovered from the waste pit at Shanlaragh, near Dunmanway, died from head injuries.

There is speculation locally that the body may be that of a man who had been living at a New Age traveller settlement at nearby Coole Mountain.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster carried out preliminary tests this evening on the remains at Cork University Hospital.

The threat of dangerous gases from the slurry pit had held up Garda efforts to remove the remains body after its discovery yesterday morning.

Investigating officers also sealed off a public telephone kiosk in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, about 120 kilometres away from Shanlaragh, today in connection with the inquiry.

The kiosk and the immediate area surrounding it was examined this afternoon by Garda technical experts who took fingerprints.

The Garda Technical Bureau, Garda Water Unit, Civil Defence and local officers have all been involved in the ongoing investigation.