The son of Dublin Sinn Fein councillor Mr Christy Burke was in a critical but stable condition in hospital last night after a stabbing incident following Saturday's Leinster football final between Dublin and Kildare at Croke Park.
Mr Patrick Burke (29), a father of three, a scaffolder, underwent five hours of surgery in the Mater Hospital after being stabbed twice in the heart and abdomen. He had his spleen removed during the surgery.
According to Mr Burke, his son was attacked after he tried to break up a fight in Meagher's Pub, Ballybough, in the north inner city, at around 9 p.m. He had earlier attended the match in Croke Park and was drinking with friends.
"Patrick is a decent guy, he's a good father and he's a good son and his life is now in the hands of God," his father said yesterday.
Mr Burke, a member of Dublin Corporation since 1985, became the first Sinn Fein deputy lord mayor of Dublin when he deputised for the Fine Gael senator, Mr Joe Doyle, in 1998.
A Garda spokeswoman said five people set on Mr Burke during the incident, stabbing him twice. He apparently did not realise the extent of his injuries and collapsed on the pavement across the street after leaving the pub.
Gardai and the Burke family have appealed for witnesses to the incident and a team of 12 detectives is investigating the case.
It is understood one suspect is a city-centre drugs figure.
A hospital spokeswoman described Mr Burke's condition as "stable but still critical". He was last night in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit with his wife, Cora, and other family members at his bedside.