"An awful tragedy"
That's how Paddy O'Brien a well-known and popular community worker and founder of the Over 60's Talent Competition has described the death of an 89 year old man in the Mercy University Hospital in the early hours of yesterday morning
89 year old Matthew Healy from Berrings in county Cork died after he was assaulted by another patient at the hospital in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Nursing staff quickly responded to the incident which occurred on one of the wards, desperate efforts were made to assist the elderly man who had been seriously injured in the attack but he was pronounced dead a short time later
Another patient - a man in his 30's - was arrested at the scene and taken to the Bridewell Garda station for questioning
The scene was preserved and the State Pathologist's office was notified
A Garda Family Liaison Officer was appointed to assist the deceased's family and Management at the Mercy University Hospital provided counsellor services to patients and staff affected by the incident.
Speaking to RedFM News Paddy O'Brien extended his sympathies to Healy family
"The most important thing I want to do is convey my sympathy to the family in Berrings.
"The poor man went in to hospital to be treated, but regrettably this has happened and it is a desperate awful thing to have happened.
"This is awful. It doesn't help the people down in Berrings. This was their father, or their brother or their grandfather.
"I'm just sorry for both families quite honestly."
