Gardaí believe Limerick pensioner was beaten to death with bottle of vodka

Gardai investigating the death of pensioner Michael Hayes believe he was punched and then and beaten to death with a vodka bottle.

Mr Hayes, 70s, was found critically injured outside his home at St Michael’s Court apartments, Watergate, Limerick City, at around 11.30pm, Thursday.

Mr Hayes was resuscitated by paramedics and taken by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick where he was sadly pronounced dead in the early hours of Friday morning.

A man in his 40s who was known to Mr Hayes, but who is not related to him, was arrested by Gardaí on Friday morning.

The man was being questioned by Gardaí on suspicion of carrying out the attack.

Gardaí believe Mr Hayes was assaulted and beaten with a vodka bottle that was wrapped in a bag.

Gardaí were probing a number of lines of enquiry around the circumstances of Mr Hayes’s killing, including that he may have gone to investigate loud noises outside his home when he was attacked.

The fatal assault occurred outside Mr Hayes’s house. He suffered a critical head injury, sources said.

The results of a postmortem, that was to be conducted by the office of the State Pathologist, will determine the next course of the Garda investigation, sources said.

One of Mr Hayes’s neighbours, Geraldine Costello, paid tribute to Mr Hayes, and said: “Michael was a lovely boy, he’d always go out of his way to do a good turn for you.”

“His dog, Daisy, is crying all the time because Michael is not there,” Ms Costello said.

“I was only talking to (Michael) yesterday, I’m after getting an awful shock.”

“I went to bed last night, and I woke up when I heard all the commotion but Michael was home by the time I went out.”

“I was very fond of him, I’m a good friend of his, I’ve known him since I was young and I’m very sorry that he is gone,” Ms Costello added.

Her niece, Tracy Coleman, offered: “It is shocking, because he was a really lovely man, and he would always go out of his way and do whatever do you.”

“There are no words to describe it, a lovely man doing his own thing, and his life just gone now like that,” said Ms Coleman.

“He was a young for his age, everyday he was always going for walks.”

It’s understood Mr Hayes lived alone and has a number of grown up children.

Gardaí immediately launched a full-scale investigation, including appointing a “Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) to lead the investigation”.

A Garda tape cordon was placed around a large section around apartments at the scene, which is located between St Michael’s Street, Ellen Street and Mungret Street, Limerick City.

Detectives were harvesting any CCTV footage in the area and carrying out house-to-house enquiries.

A statement released by the Garda Press Office, Friday, said Gardaí were “investigating all of the circumstances surrounding the death of a man in his 70s following an incident of assault in Watergate, Limerick city on 10th July 2025 at approximately 11:30pm”.

“The man in his 70s was transported to University Hospital Limerick with life-threatening injuries. He was pronounced deceased on Friday the 11th July 2025.”

“The scene in Watergate has been preserved for technical and forensic examination by the Garda Technical Bureau.”

Gardai said the State Pathologist and local Coroner had been notified and that a post-mortem examination had been arranged.

“A male in his 40s has been arrested and conveyed to a Garda Station in Limerick city. He is currently being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984,” Gardaí said.

Appealing for witnesses Gardaí asked that “anyone who was in the Watergate area of Limerick city on Thursday 10th July 2025 between 11:15pm and 12am and who may have any information regarding the incident is asked to contact investigating Gardaí”.

Gardai also appealed to “road users with camera footage (including dash-cam) who were travelling in the area at the time, to make that footage available”.

Anyone with information was asked to contact Gardaí at Henry Street Garda Station (061) 212400, or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

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