LAST UPDATE | 15 Feb

GARDAÍ HAVE LAUNCHED a murder investigation following the death of a man in an incident in Dublin city centre in the early hours of this morning.

Gardaí were called to an incident in South Anne Street / Duke Lane Upper just after 3am this morning. A man was found there with serious injuries and unresponsive. 

He was treated at the scene by emergency services personnel and transferred to hospital where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.

The stabbing was in the midst of a large scale public order incident. Gardaí are examining CCTV footage and social media videos.

A second man is currently in the hospital being treated for non-life threatening injuries. 

The street is popular with locals and tourists, with a number of bars, restaurants and nightclubs located in the surrounding area.

Tánaiste Simon Harris said that the incident is “alarming, shocking and deeply concerning”.

“It would have caused concern for many, many people right across our capital city and beyond,” he said. Harris added that Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan is being kept updated by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, and is “working tirelessly” with other members of government to increase the number of gardaí present on the streets.

Sinn Féin’s Justice spokesperson, TD Matt Carthy, said that there are too few gardaí on the streets of Dublin and he would be raising the issue with O’Callaghan in the Dáil next week.

“That something like this could happen in one of the busiest and most popular areas of nightlife in the capital, a stone’s throw from Grafton Street, will cause great concern to the people of Dublin.

“There is a serious problem in relation to public safety in Dublin city centre,” Carthy said.

“We had a number of serious criminal incidents in the city last weekend. Last night one person died and another was seriously injured following a public order incident. This is deeply concerning.”

The scene is currently preserved and a technical examination is taking place. The Office of the State Pathologist and local Coroner have been notified. Gardaí said they are investigating all the circumstances around the incident and that a Senior Investigating Officer has been appointed.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to come forward. Any person who may have been present in the vicinity of South Anne Street/Duke Lane Upper, Dublin 2 between 2:45am and 3:30am this morning are asked to come forward.

Gardaí want to talk with anyone who may have information about any of these incidents or has any mobile phone footage recorded at the relevant locations, and any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area or in the vicinity of Dawson Street and S. Stephens Green at the time are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardaí.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pearse Street Garda Station on 01 666 9000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.

Includes reporting by Emma Hickey and Niall O’Connor