- additional reporting by Eoin English and Joe Leogue
The family of a homeless man killed in Cork city have stated that they "are naturally devastated".
Timothy Hourihane was fatally assualted at Mardyke Walk in Cork in the early hours of Sunday morning.
A statement by the family was issued via the gardaí this morning, calling on people to help with the investigation if they can.
It read: "The family of the late Timothy Hourihane are naturally devastated and are asking that their privacy be respected and they be given space to grieve at this sad time.
"They ask that the media would not seek to contact them in person or at their homes and the funeral arrangements are treated as strictly private.
"Please give them time and space in this most difficult of times.
"The family would ask that people would give any assistance that they can to An Garda Síochána to help bring some closure to the matter."
Gardaí say they are making good progress in their investigation, which has included taking statements from people who were living in tents in the Mardyke Walk area, they have taken some items of clothing for forensic analysis from people who were staying there, they have harvested CCTV footage from the area in a bid to trace Mr Hourihane’s last-known movements, and they have conducted door-to-door enquiries.
Mr Hourihane had a long history of engagement with homeless agencies in recent years and was granted tenancy in a supported social housing unit three years ago.
But the complexities of his addiction saw him lose the tenancy and slip back into homelessness.
Flowers left for the late Timothy Hourihane the homeless man who died after he was assaulted at the Mardyke Walk, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan
The sad details emerged yesterday as the extensive garda probe into his violent death following a vicious assault on the Mardyke at the weekend continues.
In a statement, Cork City Council said Mr Hourihane had presented to the city’s homeless services on a number of occasions over several years and the Cork Simon Outreach team remained in contact with him.
According to frontline workers speaking in the aftermath Mr Hourihane's death, homeless people feel the streets of Cork are not safe.
This story was updated at11.50am.
