Man, 39, charged with murder of man in Mallow

Updated / Tuesday, 27 Oct 2026 06:34

A 39-year-old man has been charged with the murder of Paul O'Connor in Mallow almost a fortnight ago.

Alfred Gjonaj, with an address in Co Cork, was remanded in custody when he was brought before the district court in Fermoy yesterday afternoon.

Mr O'Connor was 56 and from Ballyphehane in Cork.

On 15 October, his body was found on a walkway on the banks of the River Blackwater at Ballyellis, 2km outside Mallow.

He had been shot.

He had travelled by train from Cork city to Mallow the night before.

Gardaí issued an appeal for information to help piece together how he got from the train station to where his body was found and what he was doing there.

The area where his body was found was sealed off and examined by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.

A murder investigation was confirmed following the completion of a post-mortem examination on his body by the Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster.

Last week, investigating gardaí arrested a man in his 30s and a woman in her 40s for questioning.

Mr Gjonaj was brought by investigating gardaí before a special district court sitting in Fermoy, Co Cork, yesterday.

His address cannot be published by order of the court.

He was charged with the murder of Mr O'Connor.

Detective Garda Noelle McSweeney gave evidence of arresting Mr Gjonaj at Mallow garda station the previous night and putting the charge to him.

She said he made no reply to the charge.

Solicitor David O'Meara said he was representing Mr Gjonaj and would be lodging an application for free legal aid.

The woman in her 40s who was arrested for questioning was released without charge yesterday afternoon.

Yesterday's hearing lasted just under three minutes.

There was no application for bail, as bail cannot be granted in the district court on a murder charge.

Judge John King remanded Mr Gjonaj in custody.

He will be back before the court via video link today.