Man, 30s, to appear in court charged in connection with Ashling Murphy murder
A MAN will appear in court tonight charged in connection with the murder of Ashling Murphy.
Gardai investigating the fatal assault said the man, 30s, will appear at a special sitting of Tullamore District Court at 8.15pm this evening.
The suspect was arrested yesterday morning after being discharged from a Dublin hospital.
He was taken to Tullamore Garda Station where he could be questioned for 24 hours with an eight-hour break.
He was charged tonight just before the 24 hour period was due to expire.
A second man who was arrested earlier today on suspicion of withholding information from investigators has been released without charge.
In a statement, they said: “Gardaí investigating the fatal assault on Ashling Murphy on Wednesday 12th January 2022 have charged the man, aged in his 30s, who was arrested yesterday, Tuesday 18th January 2022.
“He is due to appear before a special sitting of Tullamore District Court this evening, Wednesday 19th January 2022 at 8.15pm.
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“The second male arrested under the provisions of Section 30 Offences Against the State Act 1939 has been released without charge from Garda custody and a file will be prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.”
The alleged fatal assault happened this day last week at 4pm while Ashling was out jogging beside the canal at Cappincur outside Tullamore.
The 23-year-old was laid to rest yesterday after an emotional funeral mass in Tullamore.
Schoolchildren sombrely held red roses and pictures of their beloved teacher as her remains were brought to the church.
President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina at the start of the funeral mass embraced Ashling’s devastated dad Raymond, mum Kathleen, sister Amy, brother Cathal and boyfriend Ryan Casey.
The service began with music performed by members of Ballyboy Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, teaching colleagues and friends of Ms Murphy.
Huge crowds gathered for the funeral, as children outside the church held photographs of Ms Murphy and roses.
The message next to Ms Murphy’s image read: “Fly high in the sky, Our shining light.”
Symbols of Ashling’s life were brought to the altar during her funeral, including a fiddle, a Kilcormac/Killoughey camogie jersey, a family picture, a school book and her photo.
‘MOST PRECIOUS GIFT’
Father Michael Meade told the service that Ashling’s family had been “robbed of your most precious gift”.
He told mourners: “Together we grieve, together we pray, together we hurt – this is the heavy price we pay for love.
“We gather as one family to be with, to support by our prayer and our presence, those whose darkness is deep, whose pain is raw and fierce.
“Kathleen and Ray, Cathal, Amy and her boyfriend, Ryan – you have been robbed of your most precious gift – a gift that gave only joy and love, fun and laughter to many beyond your family.
“The issues raised in many ways and by many voices since this horrible act of violence invaded all our lives will, we pray, continue to evolve and bring the change we need so much, to simply give and show respect.”
In an emotional graveside tribute, the murdered 23-year-old’s boyfriend of five years Ryan Casey said she was, is and will always be his soulmate after her devastated family laid the talented teacher to rest.
GRAVESIDE TRIBUTE
Addressing a crowd at his girlfriend’s graveside, distraught Ryan broke down as he described his partner as a “shining light” and the “greatest love of my life”.
He said: “It’s simply not possible to explain what Ashling meant to myself or her family and friends in these few brief words.
“What I would like to say at this moment in time is that Ashling was in fact our shining light.
“She loved her mum Kathleen, her father Ray, big sister Amy and her big brother Cathal and all of her family and friends so much.
“She was always there, always willing to help anybody, anywhere, at any time and always put herself last.
“She had so many hobbies and talents which all combined to make her an incredible, loving, beautiful person we were all so lucky to know and loved to spend as much time with as possible.”