Tributes are being paid to retired farmer Matthew Healy (89) who was killed in Cork’s Mercy Hospital on Sunday morning.
Mr Healy, a father of four, was fatally injured during an incident in a main ward of the Cork city centre hospital.
Described as a local gentleman, Mr Healy had lost his wife, Delia, following a short illness just three weeks ago.
Gardaí in Cork are continuing to investigate all of the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Healy. It’s believed he was attacked in his bed by another patient in a ward who was not known to him.
A man in his 30s who was arrested at the scene is still being detained at Bridewell Garda Station in Cork, under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
Mr Healy is survived by two sons and a daughter. He and his late wife Delia lost a daughter in an accident at a young age four decades ago.
A statement from the hospital management said: “Management and staff at Mercy University Hospital, Cork are saddened and shocked at the tragic and unexpected death of an elderly patient in an incident at the hospital today and express their deepest condolences to the family, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace.”