GARDAÍ IN Tullamore have been given more time to question two men suspected of involvement in a burglary which led to the death of an Offaly publican.
The two men in their 20s were arrested in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, on Friday. They are being questioned about a burglary at the Gaelic Bar in Daingean, Co Offaly, on April 1st, 2009.
Matthew Farrell discovered his father Matt Farrell (64) tied to a chair in the bar following the burglary. He had suffered head and facial injuries. Gardaí took over 1,000 statements after the killing. A €10,000 reward for information was issued last December.
A renewed appeal for information was launched on April 1st, 2010. Mr Farrell’s family offered an extra €20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.
The two men being detained in Tullamore are suspected of being part of a larger gang who raided rural pubs in Laois, Offaly, Kilkenny, Waterford and Kildare.
They are being questioned over 23 burglaries on pubs between July 2008 and April 2009, according to Supt Fergus Dwyer.
He said two other men who were arrested last Wednesday over the burglaries have since been released.
During the weekend gardaí applied to the District Court for extra time to question the two men now in custody. Judge John Neilan granted the 72-hour extension at Tullamore District Court at 9.30pm on Saturday.