Irish police launch murder probe after man is shot in Cork

Irish police have launched a murder investigation following the death of 56-year-old Paul O’Connor in County Cork. Independent.ie reported that gardaí believe the victim was lured to a riverside location before being ambushed and shot. The Irish Sun also reported that the 56-year-old man was found dead in Cork after being shot in the head. [1][3]

The discovery follows an initial police response near Mallow, County Cork, where officers set up an incident room at Mallow Garda Station, as FTMQ News reported earlier. The Garda Technical Bureau preserved the scene for forensic examination, and a post-mortem examination was arranged to determine the course of the investigation. [9]

In a separate case from the same region, Irish news outlets including the Irish Times, the BBC, and the Irish Independent reported that 43-year-old Joseph Butler was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the manslaughter of Paula Canty in Mallow. The 31-year-old mother of two died from a single knife wound to the chest in January 2025. [2][4][5][6]

Gardaí are continuing their inquiries into the fatal shooting of Mr O’Connor as part of the newly launched murder probe. [1][3]