A man in his 50s who was fatally assaulted in his house in Co Waterford yesterday has been named locally as John Lowe.
The 53-year-old lived alone in the Coolfinn Meadows housing estate on the Waterford city side of Portlaw.
It is understood he may have been struck with an implement
It is also understood that a row broke out between the man in his 50s and a man who was staying temporarily with him at the time, which led to the victim being fatally assaulted.
Gardaí and ambulance services were called to the scene at about 2.45pm and the victim was rushed to hospital by ambulance,but pronounced dead shortly after arrival at University Hospital Waterford (UHW).
A man in his 20s was arrested at the scene of the assault and taken to Tramore Garda Station, where he was held overnight under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
The arrested man is understood to be from Portlaw and from a well-known and highly respected family.
The dead man is a native of Portlaw and lived for a number of years in England before returning to the Co Waterford town some years ago. He was single.
The area around his house was cordoned off by gardaí yesterday afternoon to allow a forensic examination to be carried out in the vicinity by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.
An autopsy was due to be performed on the body of the deceased man, possibly today, at UHW.
“There’s just complete and utter shock in the area,” said local Sinn Féin councillor Declan Clune, adding that he did not know the victim very well but knew the family of the man detained by gardaí.
“They are absolute salt of the earth people,” he said.
Coolfinn Meadows is located close to the River Clodiagh, which flows through Portlaw, and also close to one of the boundaries of the Curraghmore House estate, owned by Lord Waterford.
