Murder of Dublin man Tony Dempsey in drug den a shock to whole country – funeral hears

26th September 2022

The death of a young Dublin man whose body lay in a city flat for days after he was murdered earlier this month has been described as a shock that has stunned not just the local community, but the whole country.

Tony Dempsey (28), originally from the Inchicore area of the south inner city, was found dead in a ground floor flat of Kevin Barry House on Coleraine Street near Smithfield on Monday September 12.

Gardaí believe he died during an assault some days earlier, but that his body was concealed under a pile of clothing and a number of people continued to use the squalid flat as a drugs den for days afterwards while local residents made complaints about anti-social behaviour there.

It is thought Mr Dempsey’s body had been in the property for around a week before emergency services were alerted.

At his funeral today in St Bernadette’s Church on Clogher Road in Crumlin, the priest told his grieving family the death of Tony, and the circumstances of it, is something very difficult for people to comprehend.

“Since receiving the news of Tony’s death, the shock of his passing and the circumstances has stunned not only the local community here, but throughout the city and indeed around the country as well,” he said.

“People are deeply upset and united with you in your sorrow at Tony’s passing. And I’m sure particularly for you, his family and his friends, this occasion in the church today has an air of unreality about it.

“You can’t really believe or even comprehend what has happened. For his family this event is more a nightmare from which you’d hope to wake up from. The terrible and tragic nature of Tony’s death leaves us stunned by grief. It raises within us questions that are almost impossible to answer. It challenges the very meaning and purpose of our lives, and even taxes our faith and belief.

“Tony was a bright and bubbly person who was always there for anyone who was in need. On the outside he may have perhaps portrayed a hard exterior. But he had a soft side as well, and above all he loved his family,” he added.

Symbols of Mr Dempsey’s life brought to the altar by family members were a family photograph, a bottle of his favourite Yazoo brand milkshake drink, and a pair of his trainers.

Tony Dempsey had a troubled life which led to his interaction with crime gangs, homelessness and drug addiction.

At the time of his death, he was still grieving the death of his younger sister Chloe in March last year, and his mother Christine who died just months later in July.

“The recent tragic death of his sister Chloe came as a terrible blow to Tony, and I remember talking to him on that occasion, and how he was affected by it. Because of course, the two of them were very close. Very close brother and sister. And then the passing of his mam Christine would come as a devastating blow to Tony as well,” said the priest.

“His life wasn’t always easy. It seems to be like it was two steps back and one step forward. But that’s why family and friends were so important to him and he remained positive with a wonderful, dry sense of humour and a glint in his eye that would light up the room,” he added.

The flat where Mr Dempsey was found was being run by the Fr Peter McVerry Trust’s homeless agency under its Housing First policy. It, along with the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE), are conducting investigations into the circumstances of how Mr Dempsey died and how his body lay for so long where he was killed.

The murder investigation is being carried out by gardaí at the Bridewell garda station who have made no arrests so far and continue to appeal for witnesses.

His death notice said Tony is son of the late Christine and brother of the late Chloe, and baby brother Mikey.

“Sadly missed by his loving father Micheal, sisters Queenie Kendall, Ariyah- Rae and brothers Eddie and Ross, godfather Tony and grandparents Catherine and Ger,” it read.

Many of the mourners at the funeral wore red ribbons in their hair and red bows on their clothes. Many of the men wore red ties. Others wore T-shirts with a picture of Dempsey on it and the slogan ‘Forever 28’ written down the left side of it.

Golden balloons in the figure 2 and 8 to represent his age were also carried by family members. His coffin was carried to and from the church to applause in his memory.

One mourner read tributes from family members of happier times at the end of the mass, and dedicated a poem to Mr Dempsey.

After the funeral mass his coffin was brought to Mount Jerome Cemetery for cremation in a glass carriage pulled by two black horses wearing white plumes on their heads.