Gardaí investigating the fatal stabbing of a man in Macroom, Co Cork, have arrested a woman in her 40s for questioning about the killing.

The man, named locally as Timmy Foley, was found with stab wounds by gardaí who were called to a house at Dan Corkery Place in the town at about 1.55am on Monday. He was treated by paramedics before being pronounced dead at the scene.

Gardaí cordoned off the scene and the body of Mr Foley remained on the driveway where he collapsed after exiting the bungalow where he lived with his brother, Jason. The services of the State Pathologist’s Office were requested.

Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster visited the scene and examined Mr Foley’s body on Monday afternoon before it was removed to Cork University Hospital where Dr Bolster will begin a postmortem examination on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, experts from the Garda Technical Bureau in Dublin travelled to Macroom to carry out a forensic examination of the house including searching for a knife which gardaí believe was used in the fatal attack.

Both Mr Foley’s brother and the woman in her 40s, who was in the house at the time, were removed from the building. They were held temporarily in a Garda van which was also preserved for forensic examination by Garda technical experts.

Brother’s injuries

Jason Foley was taken to Cork University Hospital where he was treated for non life-threatening injuries, while the woman was taken to the Mercy University Hospital where she was examined by doctors before being later discharged from medical care.

The woman was arrested at about 3.30pm on Monday and taken to Bandon Garda station where she was detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act which allows gardaí hold suspects for up to 24 hours.

Gardaí also began door-to-door inquiries in Dan Corkery Place to see if anyone saw or heard any disturbance late on Sunday night or early on Monday morning as they tried to piece together the sequence of events.

Gardaí have also begun checking to see if there is any CCTV footage in the estate which might assist them.

Supt Mick Fitzpatrick appealed to any taxi drivers or motorists with dashcams in their vehicles who were in the area late on Sunday night or early on Monday morning to contact them.

CCTV footage

Gardaí have also begun checking CCTV footage in Macroom town centre as they try to trace the movements of Mr Foley, his brother and the woman who it is understood may have been socialising earlier in the town before returning to Dan Corkery Place.

An incident room has been set up at Macroom Garda station to co-ordinate the investigation and anyone with any information is asked to contact Macroom Garda station in confidence on 026-20590.

A native of Clonakilty in west Cork, Timmy Foley had moved to Macroom just over a year ago following his release from jail to care for his younger brother Jason, who suffered a serious brain injury in an assault in Cork city several years ago. He had moved to Macroom to undergo rehabilitation.

Mr Foley, who had previously lived at a number of addresses in Cork city after leaving Clonakilty where he still has family, was known to gardaí and had served a number of prison sentences including ones for robbery and assault causing harm.