Man held after OAP is found battered to death
Man arrested after oap beaten to death in his own home
A MAN was being quizzed last night after a pensioner was found beaten to death in a pool of blood.
Joe O’callaghan, 66, was discovered by his wife Angeline at their home in Douglas, Co Cork. A 21-year-old turned himself in.
DETECTIVES have arrested a man in connection with the violent death of a pensioner yesterday.
Joe O’callaghan was found lying in a pool of blood at his home in Douglas village on the southside of Cork city.
The 66-year-old’s body was discovered by his wife Angeline when she returned from work yesterday morning.
Gardai believe the dad of three was beaten to death and suffered head injuries in the vicious assault.
A 21-year-old man handed himself in to gardai yesterday and was arrested by detectives for questioning.
A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said he heard a noise coming from the house at around 1am yesterday.
They told the Irish Mirror: “I heard shouting and a loud bang. I heard someone shouting, Open the f ****** g door’ two times.
“Then I heard what I thought was the sound of a door banging.”
The man said when he got up this morning he saw the gardai outside the house.
He added: “I saw the lower panel completely burst in. I was told Joe was dead.”
SCARED
Nextdoor neighbour John O’sullivan said the situation had caused people to feel deeply scared.
He added: “It doesn’t happen here. You feel safe. His wife just called me at eight o’clock and said, ‘Come in’.
“I was asleep and I didn’t hear anything. I am shocked still. It is something you don’t expect in a place like this. It is quiet. It is all over-60s really here. I know him well.”
Joe’s sister Sheila Thornhill travelled to the scene yesterday and spoke of her shock at the horrific discovery.
She said her brother had been unwell in recent times but he was in good spirits.
Ms Thornhill added: “I got the call at eight o’clock this morning. Joe has six more brothers. We are all in shock.
“He has three grown-up children. He has six brothers. Joe was a bit of everything [in work].
“He did a lot of things. He was grand. He was always happy in himself.
“His wife came home from work and she pushed in the door and there he was. He is sick all the time but he was getting around.”
She said Joe was happy living in the area and used to “come and go as he pleased”.
Ms Thornhill added: “I have never seen him be so good as he has been in the last couple of days because I have been with him.
“I am stunned at this now. I saw him on Saturday morning and he was in
great form.” Mr O’callaghan had lived in the property near Douglas GAA club for five years and spent much of his life in the area having been educated locally.
His widow Angeline, who is originally from Zimbabwe, was being comforted by relatives yesterday.
Mr O’callaghan was previously married and was the father of three grown-up children.
Meanwhile, local Independent councillor Joe Harris, who went to school with Mr O’callaghan, said he
was a “happy-go-lucky” type of man. He added: “I know Joe all my life. He often did work for me in the garden.
“He had a few falls and his [health] wasn’t great, it was up and down.
“The family must be very shocked. There is a lot of them there. It’s very upsetting.”
Deputy State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster will carry out a postmortem at Cork University Hospital.
It will determine the course of the garda investigation which sources believe will be upgraded to murder. The scene was preserved for a technical and forensic examination.
Meanwhile, detectives have urged the public to come forward with information.
A spokesman said: “Gardai are appealing for anyone who was in the Galway’s Lane area of Douglas between 10pm on July 1 and 8.30am on July 2 to contact Togher Garda station on 021 4947120, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.”