President offers condolences to bereaved family as man charged with Thomas’ murder

A 44-year-old man has been charged with the murder of 87-year-old Clare native Thomas O’Halloran in Greenford, west London.

Metropolitan Police said Lee Byer, of Southall, west London, will appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court this Friday.

Police were called just after 4pm on Tuesday to Runnymede Gardens, at the junction with Cayton Road, Greenford to reports of a man with stab wounds.

Officers responded and gave emergency first aid until the arrival of the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance.

Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, Mr O’Halloran was pronounced dead at the scene.

A statement issued on behalf of President Michael D Higgins stated, “On behalf of the people of Ireland, may I express my profound sympathy to all the members of the family of Thomas O’Halloran who died under such tragic circumstances this week, to the Irish Community in London of whom he was a part, and to all in London and Ireland who knew him.

“I can only imagine the deep shock that his family and his friends are experiencing and may I convey my heartfelt condolences to them all.

“The grief that they will be feeling, I can share. It is so difficult to understand why and how such a terrible crime could occur to someone so altruistically minded and indeed cherished in his local community in Greenford.

“May I pay tribute to that generosity and kindness that Thomas showed in his life, as well as to Thomas’s musical talent which he shared so freely, most recently in support of those impacted by the situation in Ukraine.

“I hope that Thomas’ family and friends can draw strength from the legacy of kindness he leaves to the wider Irish community in Britain, of which he was a member for so long.

“Sabina joins me in renewing our deepest condolences to all of those who loved and cared for Thomas.

“May he rest in peace. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam lámhach.”