Tributes paid to Irish lecturer killed in Paris as police question suspect

FRENCH police investigating the murder of Irish lecturer John Dowling were last night continuing to quiz a 37-year-old former student over the killing.

The English language teacher was attacked and stabbed several times at the Pole Universitaire Leonard de Vinci on Wednesday.

He had taught at the Parisian campus for almost 20 years and was due to retire in the coming months.

Mr Dowling (66) was killed after allegedly being attacked by a former student at the college who was expelled last year.

A 37-year-old Pakistani national was arrested in relation to the mur- der on Wednesday, and was being questioned by local police.

Mr Dowling had worked in the Paris college since 1999, while also lecturing at the Emerald Cultural Institute in Rathgar, Dublin during the summer. He also had strong links to Donegal.

A former student in Dublin described Mr Dowling as an “enthusiastic and captivating” teacher and “difficult to forget”.

In a Facebook post, the Dublin-based language school said: “It is with deep sadness that we have learned of the death of our beloved friend and colleague John Dowling. We will all miss him more than words can say.”

Students and staff at the Pole Universitaire Leonard de Vinci held a minute’s silence at locations around the campus yesterday.