Victim of Limerick killing was Ireland youth soccer star
Tributes pour in for ex-footballer beaten to death on street
A FORMER junior Republic of Ireland soccer player died after he was assaulted in Limerick city.
Alan Bourke, 48, originally from St Mary’s Park, Limerick, was found with serious injuries in the Parnell Street area at around 10.25pm on Friday night.
Paramedics tried to keep the former talented sportsman alive at the scene, but he was pronounced dead a short time later at University Hospital Limerick.
The street where the assault took place was cordoned off by gardaí yesterday to allow for a forensic examination of the area.
Gardai are viewing CCTV footage from local premises in a bid to track down those responsible for the fatal attack. They have also appealed for anyone who may have ‘video footage or dashcam footage’ of the assault to make it available to them.
Mr Bourke, who was a talented striker with Mungret Regional FC in the 1990s, was found seriously injured a short distance from a tool and equipment store where he had previously worked as a manager.
Limerick soccer correspondent Mike Aherne said there was widespread shock across the city’s district league soccer family and he described Mr Bourke as ‘a cracking striker’ back in the day.
‘Alan was synonymous with the glory days of Mungret Regional and was regarded as one of the leading strikers in the league, which he got richly deserved recognition, culminating in being capped for the Republic of Ireland junior soccer team,’ said Mr Aherne.
‘Being capped for his country, even at junior soccer level is a hugely prestigious honour and everyone in Limerick soccer will remember Alan, firstly as a goal scorer, he was a cracking striker. May he rest in peace.
‘He was the main man for Mungret Regional in the 1990s, a real class act, and it’s so sad what has happened.’ Mr Bourke helped secure many great victories for Mungret Regional, including a Munster Junior Cup final win in 1994.
He received his Irish cap in 1996 after helping his club to a FAI Junior Cup final the same year.
Speaking on behalf of Mr Bourke’s former teammates and friends at Mungret Regional FC, club chairman, Tony O’Byrne said: ‘Alan was definitely a huge part of the team back then, he would have had scored 20-plus goals a season, he wore the club’s number nine shirt, he was a real goal poacher, and he was a really talented player for the club.
‘He joined the club when he was 17 and played minor for two years under manager Dermot Doolan and went on to play junior under Pat Irwin, and was on the 1994 Munster Junior Cup winning team that was also FAI Cup runners-up in 1996. The team were awarded a civic reception by the then mayor of Limerick, Jan O’Sullivan.’
Mr O’Byrne added: ‘Alan had exceptional talent and he is a great loss to his football family. May he rest in peace.’
Friends of Mr Bourke, who had spent time living in Cork, revealed he had ‘fallen on hard times’ and had been quite ‘vulnerable’ in recent years.
‘I’m in deep shock, Alan was a lovely guy, it’s a real shock this has happened,’ one friend said.
Limerick Fianna Fáil councillor and member of the policing committee, Abul Kalam Azad Talukder, said more needs to be done to tackle anti-social behaviour in the part of the city where the attack occurred.
Mr Azad Talukder told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘I was speaking with local business owners in that area for the last two hours.
‘They said that two men were seen fighting and one fell, hit his head to the floor and started bleeding. It was shocking.
‘I am on the policing committee and we’ve raised issues around anti-social behaviour in this area before. We need more people present here. There have been fights in this area but nothing fatal previously. A lot of people come into this area to drink.’
Gardaí last night confirmed no arrests have yet been made in relation to Mr Bourke’s death.
Investigating officers have urged witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage of the area around the time of the attack on Friday night to come forward.
Yesterday, a Garda spokesperson said: ‘Any person who was in the Parnell Street, Lord Edward Street and Davis Street areas of Limerick last night, between 10pm and 10.40pm, who may have camera footage of the area is asked to make this available to gardaí.
‘Similarly, if any road user was travelling in the area and who may have camera (including dashcam) footage is asked to make this available to investigating gardaí.’
Anyone with any information which may be relevant to the Garda investigation should contact Roxboro Road Garda Station on 061 214 340.
‘He was a really talented player for the club’
‘I’m in deep shock, Alan was a lovely guy’