Gardaí in Galway were expected last night to initiate a murder inquiry into the death of a young female student whose body was found close to the city centre early yesterday.
The woman, whose identity has not yet been released, is believed have been from continental Europe and was in her early twenties.
Her body was spotted by a passer-by at 9.25am yesterday in dense growth on the southern shore of Loughatalia, below the Dublin-Galway railway line and less than half a mile from Ceannt Station.
State pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy and officers from the Garda technical bureau carried out initial examinations of the scene, which was sealed off. A walkway above where the body was found, running parallel to the railway line between Ceannt Station and Renmore, was also closed off for examination.
The walkway is a popular short cut used by pedestrians and cyclists, many of them students in various colleges staying in the Renmore area.
The woman's body was taken yesterday evening to University College Hospital, Galway (UCHG) for a post mortem examination. Gardai would not comment for operational reasons, but it is understood that the woman may have been badly beaten, and a sexual assault was not being ruled out.
Supt Tom Curley of Mill Street Garda station in Galway said that his team of officers was following a number of lines of inquiry. "I can confirm that we do not have any missing persons of that age reported here in Galway," he said.
"We are appealing to anybody who was in this area over the 24 hours leading up to 9.30am on Tuesday to contact us with any information, no matter how trivial, to help us in our inquiries," Supt Curley said.
House-to-house inquiries were being conducted by gardai in the area close to Lakeshore drive by Loughatalia and near the Dun Mhaoliosa Army barracks in Renmore. A local resident who spoke to The Irish Times said that the walkway to the lake across fenland was infrequently used.
Gardai were trying to establish if the crime had taken place on the shore or on the walkway above. Last month gardai arrested a man in Galway city centre in connection with an alleged attack close to Ceannt station. The man was released without charge and a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Gardai are appealing for anyone with any information which might help them with their investigation to contact the incident room at Mill St garda station at tel (091)538070.
