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Updated 5.54 am
GARDAÍ SAY THEY have opened a murder investigation after the body of Philip Finnegan was found in a wooded area in Kildare on Friday evening.
The discovery was made by members of the public in Rahan woods near the Kildare/Offaly border.
A post-mortem examination was carried out yesterday and today by the Assistant State Pathologist Dr. Margaret Bolster at Naas General Hospital.
The deceased man has now been formally identified as 24-year-old Philip Finnegan who had been missing from his home in south inner-city Dublin since 10 August.
Gardaí have been carrying out a search of the area around where the man’s body was located. Today the removed several items of evidence from the site for examination, including a large branch which was bagged up.
Finnegan was reported missing from his home at Mary Aikenhead House on 10 August.
It is believed that his death may be connected to a drug dealing dispute, with sources describing him as a “low level criminal”. It was suspected after he went missing that he had been abducted.
Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South Central Aengus Ó Snodaigh says it,
has the hallmarks of being another victim of the brutal feuds between criminals that have been plaguing communities across the city and country in recent years.
“The discovery of Philip’s remains in County Kildare nearly four weeks since he was last seen is another sad chapter in the ongoing carnage being wrought on our communities by criminal thugs,” Ó Snodaigh said.
“These drugs gangs continue to suck young men and women into their criminal clutches,” he added.
Gardaí in Leixlip are leading the investigation into the murder and are appealing for anyone who may have information to come forward. They also want to speak to people who may have been near Carbury in Co. Kildare during August and have information they wish to share.
The scene in the wood remains sealed as technical examinations are ongoing.
An incident room has been established by gardaí in Leixlip and this can be contacted on 01-6667800.
An Garda Síochána’s confidential line at 1800-666-111 can also be used to provide information.
- With reporting by Michelle Hennessy.
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According to many other press sources they have identified the poor soul already? No matter who he was, or what he was involved in, his family didn’t bring him up to end up partially buried in a shallow grave, it’s them I feel sorry for. However, at the same time, may he rip, it’s no way for anyone that young to end up, drugs and their wider tentacles are a curse.
I mostly agree with you there. I don’t know this man so i cant pass judgement. But some people definitely deserve to end up like this. I’ve seen some horrible cases of animal cruelty lately. People beating up animals with weapons for no reason. Vile !! would make my day to see these people who commit these disgusting acts end up like this.
I totally agree Paddy but I don’t think this man was involved that kind of thing. And yes it does sicken me how any person can cause hurt to an innocent animal.
This Country is going down the toilet fast.. This young man abducted and murdered over a drugs debt. There was another failed hit attempt on Friday in the North inner city, it looks like there will be no end to that feud till all the Hutch’s are wiped out and the Government are doing absolutely nothing about it. Two innocent men have already been murdered by accident, when is it going to stop. Late night meetings and the Dail has been recalled to try and stop big business paying us €13 Billion. But they don’t care the Country has turned into the Wild West..
It has a very sinister feel to it.
Cosmo, the only way to fix this is to eliminate the right people, not those suffering through life everyday. When has the Dail ever been recalled from it’s many holidays for a public reason? Or is it only when corporate affairs are affected?? Pitch forks are a preferred choice for this….. I have no sympathy for 95% of our politicians, they can rot in hell with there privileged families. Its us or them at this stage.
He was only a kid and didn’t deserve that. Life is cheap in Ireland these days. Kinahan must be really proud of himself.
This murder has nothing to do with Kinahan but another ‘man’ currently serving a lengthy sentence in Portlaoise
Brian Rattigan..
Yeah, the very one Suzie. It’s scary how easily he’s able to run his ‘business’ while in custody. If he can arrange for that to be done while he’s inside what the hell would he be like if he was out and about. Although he should be thankful he has a cell keeping him safe.
Carlovian it’s nuts that he still has control will beong locked up . That bloke has caused a lot of misery . A lot of lives were ruined in the Drimnagh/ Crumlin fued ..
* while being * …
I’m curious, why is a ten year old garda Traffic Corps van being used for evidence collection in a murder investigation. Are things really that bad?
They reach end of life at 300,000km – it was probably swapped around the 200,000km mark and given to a country Station who wouldn’t have it on the road 24/7 like some of the busier towns/cities.
OK, fair enough. If that’s the case, and evidence from a murder investigation is being transported to, wherever it goes to be processed, you’d imagine there’s a risk of contamination from being bounced around in the back of a old van, now belonging to some country station and used for who knows what. You’d think for such things as murder evidence there’d be a little care taken….
Any evidence found is put in evidence bags, sealed containers etc. It’s never left ‘bouncing around’ a car.
A figure of speech. Just as when a wee child tells you “my lunch is in my bag, my bag is in the car” What could possibly go wrong? Riiiight…
All I’m saying is that an investigation is not going to be put at risk for the sake of how evidence is is transported back either to Garda HQ for analysis or the local Station for Storage or to put to a suspect during questioning. There is a huge emphasis on the safe storage/transport of evidence even if it is in 10+ year old car.
24? Just a kid. I hope they get the animals that hold no value for life. This is not acceptable. Thoughts are with his family.
Yep just a kid who kept a gun in a toy box in the bedroom he shared with his younger brothers and lay the blame on one of them for owning it when the house was raided ..
Live by the sword….
it can be useful to have a sword handy sometimes
R.I.P poor soul another unsolved murder Drugs must worth a hell of alot of money Wake up GOVERMONT legalise weed ASAP
Govermont? Go back to school and learn how to spell.
Cause legalising weed will solve everything cause that’s the only drug these guys kill for..
Govermont legalise de weed and de hash
Only the ppl who matter no wot i mean haha
@ canuckandgo: how about the author of the piece spelling “belived” twice, both in the headline and body of the article?
Roy
It will not help everything, but it will help by reducing criminality, reduce Garda time, regulate the drug so it is not laced with other lethal substances, increase tax take, reduce gang land criminality. As stated it will not help everything, but it sure would help
isnt the term ‘decriminalise’ more appropriate
We always hear from the liberal elite that drugs are harmless.
Do you even know what that means ? Doubt it !
Rip lad
Susie Sunshine get your facts right..I knew the lad.it was a gun that could only fire blanks and the case has thrown out of court because the guards threatened to charge his younger brothers and straight away Phillo took the blame.The judge threw it out because of the guards threatening to charge his younger brother’s.Anyway the dogs on the streets know who ordered this from his comfy prison cell.At the end of the day he was a father ,son brother and loved my many.Get u our facts right in future before you comment!!
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