Two men being questioned over the fatal stabbing of a man in Tralee, Co Kerry, have been released without charge.
Gardaí are investigating the killing in an apartment of Joe Brosnan, who was in his 50s and well known in the town.
Gardaí released the man in his 30s and man aged in his 50s on Tuesday and are preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr Brosnan was at a gathering on Sunday in the Abbey Court apartment complex, off Denny Street, with a number of other people when a row broke out and he was stabbed.
The alarm was raised and gardaí and paramedics rushed to the scene. Mr Brosnan was still alive when the emergency services arrived shortly after 7pm.
He received emergency treatment in the apartment in an attempt to save his life, but his injuries were too severe and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The apartment was sealed off by gardaí as a crime scene and secured overnight.
Mr Brosnan’s remains underwent a preliminary examination in situ on Monday afternoon by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers-Harnett before being removed for a full postmortem.
The Irish Times understands Mr Brosnan and the two men who were arrested all knew each other. They are both from Co Kerry and well known in Tralee and Killarney. Mr Brosnan’s family is originally from Connolly Park, Tralee.
It is understood the dead man had worked in the construction sector, as a scaffolder, for many years when he was younger, and in more recent times he had worked as a bar man in Tralee.
Gardaí believe a large quantity of alcohol had been consumed at the gathering in the apartment on Sunday and the main line of inquiry is that the fatal stabbing was spur of the moment and occurred during a row. However, Garda sources stressed the inquiry was still in its infancy.
Sinn Féin councillor Cathal Foley said people in Tralee were “shocked” as news of the killing spread, adding that such violent incidents were “very rare” in the town.
The apartment where the killing occurred remained sealed off on Monday night and underwent an examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau. Anyone who was in the vicinity of Abbey Court apartments or the Denny Lane/Denny Street area between 6.30pm and 7.00pm on Sunday is asked to contact Tralee Garda station on (066) 710 2300.
