That is the final image taken of a stag occasion reveller shortly earlier than he died following a vicious road assault.
aul ‘Babs’ Connolly (48) from Edenderry, Co Offaly, died from accidents he sustained within the assault in Athlone, Co Westmeath at 2.35am yesterday.
Mr Connolly had been ingesting with mates within the Prince of Wales Lodge, the place this image was taken shortly earlier than the deadly assault.
Sources mentioned he left the stag group and had a dispute with one other man – who was not recognized to him – within the city which led to an assault.
Gardaí are awaiting autopsy outcomes to find out whether or not Mr Connolly died on account of a punch or if it was a results of hitting his head on the bottom.
A 19-year-old man and a person in his 30s have been arrested by officers investigating the deadly assault yesterday night.
Based on sources, the person in his 30s is from Roscommon and is at present out on bail. He has served a number of jail sentences and carried out quite a few brutal unprovoked assaults towards women and men.
A witness recorded a video of the incident which circulated on social media final evening. The video exhibits a person remonstrating with Mr Connolly earlier than one other man comes up and hits him earlier than he falls to the bottom and hits his head.
The person seems to attempt to kick Mr Connolly whereas he’s on floor.
Mr Connolly labored at Ray’s Roofing and House Renovation in Co. Meath and was well-liked amongst his colleagues.
Paul ‘Babs’ Connolly shortly earlier than the assault
His boss and good friend Ray Kelly mentioned he spoke to Mr Connolly hours earlier than he was killed.
“I used to be solely speaking to him yesterday night and he was trying ahead to going away for the evening. He didn’t exit a lot anymore. I’d say it was the primary time he was out in God is aware of how lengthy.
“It was unbelievable waking as much as the information. If we have been ending a job he’d all the time keep and get it completed. He was all the time making an attempt to assist me. It’s devastating.”
“He’d go the additional mile on a regular basis. Every single day irrespective of how dangerous kind individuals have been in he’d make you chortle. I acquired very keen on him. He solely did a few days per week, however you’d stay up for him being round.
“It’s hasn’t actually hit dwelling but.”
Mr Connolly, who was single, lived on Assumption Street in Edenderry. He had lived along with his mom, who handed away not too long ago.
“He’ll be missed. His mom simply handed away a few months in the past and his nephew handed away in England. They’ve had a tough time of it the previous couple of months,” added Mr Kelly.
Edenderry Councillor Robert McDermott mentioned Mr Connolly’s dying has had a devastating influence in town. “I’m very shocked and saddened to listen to of Paul ‘Babs’ Connolly’s dying. Paul was from a very talked-about and effectively revered household in Edenderry. Our ideas and prayers are along with his household at the moment.”
An incident room has been established Athlone Garda Station beneath the course of a Senior Investigating Officer.
Any one that might have any video footage of this incident, together with cell phone footage or any highway customers who might have digital camera footage (together with dash-cam) and have been travelling within the Church Avenue space between 2am and a couple of:45am are being requested to make this footage obtainable to Gardaí.
Mr Connolly was beforehand convicted of harmful driving inflicting dying after he crashed his automotive right into a van following a ingesting session in Edenderry in Might 2001.
His greatest good friend Francis Cooley, who was a passenger in Mr Connolly’s car, died within the accident, which occurred after Mr Connolly misplaced management on a left-hand flip earlier than crashing into the van.
He admitted to gardai that he had drank 17 or 18 pints earlier than entering into his Mazda MX sports activities automotive to drive to Rathangan in Co. Kildare.
He suffered severe accidents himself within the crash and was left distraught over his good friend’s dying.
He was given a two-year suspended sentence after the sister of Mr Cooley pleaded for leniency within the case. The court docket heard he had earlier convictions for assault and public order offences.
