A MURDER probe has been launched following the discovery of a homeless man who was found beaten to death in Cork.
Tommy Hourihane, who was said to be in his 50s, was found unconscious near Mardyke Walk by a member of the Fire Brigade early on Sunday morning, October 13.
According to the Irish Independent, the discovery was made by officers responding to an emergency call from other nearby homeless individuals who made contact around 12:45am after spotting a tent on fire nearby.
Upon arrival, officers found Hourihane, who had sustained significant blows to his head and body.
He was found a short distance away from the tent, which had been pitched on grass near to the college and is thought to have belonged to Hourihane.
Despite being rushed to the nearby Cork University Hospital, Hourihane died as a result of the injuries sustained.
Gardaí are now investigating the circumstances around the killing and are conducting interviews with witnesses and other homeless people living in the local area.
The motives behind the vicious and sustained attack are as yet unknown.
Supt Michael Comyns, of Anglesea Street station is now appealing for anyone with any information related to the crime to come forward.
“We are appealing for anyone who was in the area from 11pm to 1am to contact us and particularly if they saw anything of a suspicious nature or anything at all really to contact us.
“It is a homicide investigation. For operational reasons we are not going to release information on the injuries, but he does have injuries consistent with being assaulted.”
They are appealing for help from passing drivers and motorists who may be able to provide them with additional footage via dash cams and mobile phones.
The incident is the second serious attack on the homeless in Ireland in the space of just over a month.
Back in September, a homeless couple in Dublin found themselves a target for criminals who set their tent ablaze.
In that incident the pair escaped shaken but largely unscathed.
