No lead yet on Dublin city killing

Gardaí said yesterday they had received "a good response" to their appeal for help with the investigation into a fatal assault…

Gardaí said yesterday they had received "a good response" to their appeal for help with the investigation into a fatal assault on O'Connell Street, Dublin, but they were still waiting for a breakthrough in the case.

Gardaí at Store Street station issued a public appeal for help after Alan Barbour (27), from Lucan, died on Thursday, five days after he was assaulted on Dublin's main street. A post-mortem found that Mr Barbour died from head injuries.

A Garda source said there was "a good bit of response" from the public and gardaí were following the calls up with questionnaires. No single lead had emerged "but it only takes one phone call".

Yesterday a wreath of yellow roses lay on the footpath where Mr Barbour received the fatal injury, across the road from the GPO.

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Mr Barbour was returning home with a friend after a night out when the incident happened. Gardaí understand that he was assaulted after he threw a soft drink at his friend and perhaps wet the assailant in the process.

He received one blow and fell to the ground on Lr O'Connell Street at about 3.15am on June 18th. He was taken to the Mater hospital and then transferred to Beaumont where he later died.

The assailant was with two men, and is described as 183cm (6ft) tall, of strong build with a skin-tight hair style. He is between 20 and 30 years of age and was wearing dark jeans with a horizontally striped T-shirt.

Gardaí have urged these three men to come forward and have circulated good quality close circuit television images of them.

Gardaí also want to speak to two young women who had been talking to Mr Barbour and his friend before the assault.

They have also appealed for a woman who called to Pearse Street Garda station around the time of the attack to contact them. She left the station when a garda came to speak to her.

Alison Healy

Alison Healy

Alison Healy is a contributor to The Irish Times