A man was critically ill Sunday night after being stabbed at a social gathering in a house in Kilkenny.
The victim, in his early 20s, has undergone surgery at St Luke’s Hospital in the city.
The criminal investigation into the stabbing is pursuing a definite line of inquiry and three men have been arrested. They were still being detained by gardai in Kilkenny on Sunday night.
Gardaí were alerted to the stabbing at about 7pm on Saturday. When they arrived at scene at a house on Love Lane, Castlecomer, the injured man was bleeding in the street.
Paramedics administered emergency treatment to him before he was taken by ambulance to St Luke’s.
Gardaí believe he had been stabbed in a course of an altercation involving a number of men, at least some of whom were still at the scene when gardaí arrived.
Two men in their 30s and one man in his 40s were arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act for questioning at Kilkenny Garda station.
The scene of the stabbing was preserved and has undergone an examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.
Local gardai were appealing to anyone who was in the Castlecomer area between 5pm and 7pm on Saturday to contact Kilkenny Garda station on 056-7775000, The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.