FATAL SOUTH MONAGHAN ASSAULT – ‘BLAYNEY MAN (19) REMANDED

A 19-YEAR-OLD Castleblayney man who was remanded in custody from a special court in Cavan on Sunday last, on a charge of assaulting and causing serious harm to a young musician – who died in hospital following injuries sustained in an early morning incident on the previous day – was further remanded in custody to another sitting of the court on June 22nd next, when he appeared at Carrickmacross District Court yesterday (Wednesday).
Conor McClelland of Cullentrabane, Laragh, was previously charged under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, with assault and causing serious harm to Gavin O’Connor, 22, from Kilmainhamwood, Co. Meath.
Mr O’Connor, a popular young lead guitarist with the Kingscourt-based group, “Climax” and son of Mrs and Gerry O’Connor, was rushed to hospital after being discovered badly injured at Lisdoonan, a few miles from Carrickmacross, early on Saturday morning last.
Sources claimed the victim was in his car when it was driven off, and his injures resulted from a subsequent attack and struggle that ensued.
The extent of the injuries which the deceased had sustained also suggested he might have been hit by a vehicle, while injured on the roadway.
A post mortem examination was carried out on the deceased at the Drogheda hospital late on Sunday afternoon.
News of the young musician’s sudden and tragic death shocked the entire South Monaghan, East Cavan and North Meath region. His colleagues in a local factory were also as much stunned and devastated as the deceased’s immediate family and friends on the music circuit. The sympathy of the entire community is extended to the deceased’s parents, Gerry and Lena, his brother Patrick, and sister June, and wider family circle.
Full story in The Northern Standard