Gardai discovered the body of Adrian Folan (41) yesterday, three days after he had been reported missing.
Last night another man in his 40s was being questioned about the killing.
Gardai awaited the results of a post-mortem examination carried out by State Pathologist, Professor Marie Cassidy to confirm he had died from strangulation
before officially launching a murder investigation.
His body was discovered by gardai yesterday morning in water at a quarry at the Cliffs of Moher, near the village of Liscannor, Co Clare.
The grim find was made under a makeshift mound of about 50 rocks in a shallow pond.
It is not yet clear whether Mr Folan, a computer programmer, was murdered at the quarry or killed elsewhere and his body then taken there to be buried.
But gardai believe he was strangled within 24 hours of his disappearance.
There were no initial signs that he had been beaten or that a weapon had been used by his killer.
Officers said last night they had made significant progress with their inquiries, which led to the discovery of the body.
Mr Folan was a postgraduate student and was completing a masters of science degree in software engineering at Athlone Institute of Technology.
The course is run in co-operation with telecommunications multinational Ericsson and ICT Ireland, which funds the programme.
Described by friends as very talented and extremely bright, he had previously graduated with a first-class honours degree in commerce from NUI Galway.
Mr Folan is originally from the Carraroe area of south Connemara. He worked part-time during his student days in a Galway city pub. He had moved to Athlone
last autumn to take up a one-year postgraduate programme.
"It's an extremely competitive course and there's a lot of interest in it," a college source explained.
"It's a full-time programme and when students successfully complete it, they are given permanent employment."
Mr Folan was last seen in Athlone on Thursday night.
Gardai were alerted when he failed to turn up at the college on Friday morning and concerns about his welfare grew throughout the weekend.
Mr Folan was a friend of MEP Luke Ming Flanagan who last week appealed for people to help find him.
Gardai arrested the suspect, who was well-known to Mr Folan, in the Connemara area early yesterday morning.
He was being held for questioning last night at Mill Street garda station under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, and can be detained without charge for
24 hours, excluding rest periods.
The man's detention was suspended for some time, shortly after his arrest, while the suspect underwent a medical examination.
His period of detention was extended by a garda chief superintendent last night.
A house in Carraroe, Co Galway, was sealed off for forensic examination while a detailed check of the quarry was also carried out.
The garda underwater unit is being called in today to make further inquiries.
Meanwhile, the body was removed yesterday afternoon to the Mid Western regional hospital in Limerick for the post-mortem examination by Prof Cassidy.
The body was initially identified from documentation in his clothing and later officially confirmed by a family member.
The search of the quarry was launched as a result of information gathered by gardai over the previous 24 hours and officers focused their search around the quarry
from dawn.
Gardai also searched a dumping area on the Headford Road, outside Galway city.
Last night gardai appealed to anybody who might have spotted suspicious activity around the quarry since July 3 or who might have information about Mr Folan's
disappearance, to contact the investigation headquarters at Ennistymon station, on 065 7072180, or phone the confidential line, 1800 666111.
SOURCE: Irish Independent:
Last night another man in his 40s was being questioned about the killing.
Gardai awaited the results of a post-mortem examination carried out by State Pathologist, Professor Marie Cassidy to confirm he had died from strangulation
before officially launching a murder investigation.
His body was discovered by gardai yesterday morning in water at a quarry at the Cliffs of Moher, near the village of Liscannor, Co Clare.
The grim find was made under a makeshift mound of about 50 rocks in a shallow pond.
It is not yet clear whether Mr Folan, a computer programmer, was murdered at the quarry or killed elsewhere and his body then taken there to be buried.
But gardai believe he was strangled within 24 hours of his disappearance.
There were no initial signs that he had been beaten or that a weapon had been used by his killer.
Officers said last night they had made significant progress with their inquiries, which led to the discovery of the body.
Mr Folan was a postgraduate student and was completing a masters of science degree in software engineering at Athlone Institute of Technology.
The course is run in co-operation with telecommunications multinational Ericsson and ICT Ireland, which funds the programme.
Described by friends as very talented and extremely bright, he had previously graduated with a first-class honours degree in commerce from NUI Galway.
Mr Folan is originally from the Carraroe area of south Connemara. He worked part-time during his student days in a Galway city pub. He had moved to Athlone
last autumn to take up a one-year postgraduate programme.
"It's an extremely competitive course and there's a lot of interest in it," a college source explained.
"It's a full-time programme and when students successfully complete it, they are given permanent employment."
Mr Folan was last seen in Athlone on Thursday night.
Gardai were alerted when he failed to turn up at the college on Friday morning and concerns about his welfare grew throughout the weekend.
Mr Folan was a friend of MEP Luke Ming Flanagan who last week appealed for people to help find him.
Gardai arrested the suspect, who was well-known to Mr Folan, in the Connemara area early yesterday morning.
He was being held for questioning last night at Mill Street garda station under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, and can be detained without charge for
24 hours, excluding rest periods.
The man's detention was suspended for some time, shortly after his arrest, while the suspect underwent a medical examination.
His period of detention was extended by a garda chief superintendent last night.
A house in Carraroe, Co Galway, was sealed off for forensic examination while a detailed check of the quarry was also carried out.
The garda underwater unit is being called in today to make further inquiries.
Meanwhile, the body was removed yesterday afternoon to the Mid Western regional hospital in Limerick for the post-mortem examination by Prof Cassidy.
The body was initially identified from documentation in his clothing and later officially confirmed by a family member.
The search of the quarry was launched as a result of information gathered by gardai over the previous 24 hours and officers focused their search around the quarry
from dawn.
Gardai also searched a dumping area on the Headford Road, outside Galway city.
Last night gardai appealed to anybody who might have spotted suspicious activity around the quarry since July 3 or who might have information about Mr Folan's
disappearance, to contact the investigation headquarters at Ennistymon station, on 065 7072180, or phone the confidential line, 1800 666111.
SOURCE: Irish Independent:
---------
*Gardai have confirmed that the body discovered earlier today at a quarry near the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare is that of missing man Adrian Folan.
Folan, 41, had been missing from Athlone, Co Galway since last Thursday.
His body has been removed from the scene and is presently at Limerick Regional Hospital, where a post mortem examination is scheduled to be carried out this evening by State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy.
This morning, a man was arrested in Galway in connection with the disappearance of Folan.
The man, also aged in his 40s, is being detained at Galway Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
Folan had been missing since 3 July and Gardaí had earlier expressed concern for his welfare.
He was last seen alive in Athlone Town on Thursday night at approximately 11.40pm.
Gardai are now appealing for witnesses who may have seen anything unusual or suspicious in and around the quarry at Kilconnell, Liscannor, since 3 July.
Any member of the public who may be able to assist with the investigation should contact the Incident Room at Ennistymon Garda station on 065-7072180, call the Garda Confidential Telephone Line on 1800-666-111, or contact any Garda station. www.garda.ie
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The body of a man has been found in the Ennistymon area of Co Clare.
*Gardaí have sealed off an area in north Clare where the body of a man has been discovered.
The man's remains were uncovered at a quarry near the Cliffs of Moher this morning.
The man's body - which was found this morning - remains at the scene south of the Cliffs of Moher tourist centre.
It is believed the man may have been on the Gardaí missing persons list.
The Office of the State Pathologist has been contacted, and a preliminary examination of the body will be carried out later.
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*UPDATE: Adrian Folan (41) was last seen alive in Athlone Town in Westmeath on the night of Thursday 3 July, at roughly 11.40pm.Detectives had been probing whether his body was dumped in the River Shannon outside Athlone after he was the victim of a fatal assault.
Searches of the river for Mr Folan’s body by garda divers took place yesterday.
However, today gardai have today sealed off an area near the foot of the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare.
"Garda Crime Scene Investigators are carrying out an examination in the area. We cannot confirm the discovery of a body at this stage of the investigation," a garda press officer said.
In another development, a man in his early 40s who was well known to Mr Folan was arrested in Galway city this morning and he is currently being detained at Galway Garda station.
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*UPDATE: Gardaí investigating the disappearance of 41-year-old Adrian Folan from Athlone on Thursday have arrested a man.
The arrest followed the discovery of a body at a quarry near the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare this morning. A house in Carraroe, Co Galway, has also been sealed off.
The man was arrested in Connemara this morning under section 4 of the 1984 Criminal Justice Act, under which he can be held for 24 hours.
Gardaí are investigating the disappeance of Mr Folan, who was last seen in Athlone at about 11.40pm last Thursday.
Gardaí appealed for information as to his whereabouts. He is described as about 5’7” in height, with brown/grey hair, blue eyes and of stocky build.
He was wearing a grey T-shirt, brown knee-length shorts and sandals.
Gardaí asked anyone with information to contact Athlone Garda station on 090 6498550, the Garda Confidential Line or any Garda station.
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A senior source said: “Detectives have grave concerns for Mr Folan’s welfare.”
Stocky
Gardai said that Mr Folan is approximately 1.7m (5’7”) tall with brown/grey hair, blue eyes and is described as being of stocky build.
When last seen he was wearing a grey t-shirt, brown knee length shorts and sandals.
Gardai first appealed for information on the case yesterday afternoon and have asked anyone with information to Athlone Garda Station on 090 6498550, the Garda Confidential Line or any Garda station. www.garda.ie
The area close to a quarry near the Cliffs of Moher has been sealed-off by gardaí.
It is understood the office of the State Pathologist has been notified.
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