A 46-year-old man stabbed to death in a domestic dispute in Limerick yesterday was a retired Army corporal who had served several tours of duty abroad.
Father of six Stephen O'Grady, Lenihan Avenue, Prospect, Limerick, died at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital early yesterday morning from serious stab wounds suffered during an incident in his home at about 2am. Mr O'Grady, who retired from the Defence Forces in 2001, sustained serious injuries to his upper body.
A 25-year-old man presented himself at Roxboro Garda station at 6am and was being questioned by gardaí last night under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
A kitchen knife recovered by detectives at the scene is understood to have been the weapon used.
Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea last night led tributes to Mr O'Grady and described his death as an "appalling tragedy".
"I knew Stephen O'Grady quite well.
"He served his country as a member of the Army for quite a number of years and indeed did a number of tours of duty abroad," Mr O'Dea said.
"I always found him to be a very decent, amiable chap to talk to.
"I knew that he also enjoyed huge respect amongst his Army colleagues and was very highly spoken of amongst people both in the Army and ex-Army.
"It really is an appalling tragedy and I want to extend my condolences to Stephen's family and friends. It's a tragic loss," he added.
Assistant State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis carried out a postmortem at the hospital yesterday.
Gardaí confirmed that Mr O'Grady died as a result of a domestic incident and said they were looking for no one else in relation to the incident.
"We are satisfied with how the investigation is progressing," said a spokesman.
Mr O'Grady, who is survived by his wife, Regina, and six children, joined the Army in 1980.
He was promoted to the rank of corporal in 1998 and served seven tours of duty in Lebanon before retiring six years ago.