Gardai are searching for a gang of four to six men after the fatal shooting of a man at the front door of his home in Blackwater, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, late on New Year's Eve.
Mr Seán Poland (39) was shot dead after he opened the front door of his home at 11.30 p.m. to a group of men.
According to Supt William Keane, gardaí believe the motive for the shooting of Mr Poland was robbery.
Supt Keane described how after shooting Mr Poland, the men entered his home and tied up Mr Poland's partner.
He said: "They demanded money off her and left with a sum of money." Supt Keane was not able to say how much money had been taken.
He said the woman managed to free her hands after they were tied by the intruders. She raised the alarm at 12.10 a.m. on New Year's Day.
Supt Keane said that when the emergency services arrived, Mr Poland was dead. Mr Poland's yellow bungalow - located 9 km from Limerick city on a quiet country road and a short distance from the south-east Clare village of Ardnacrusha - was cordoned off yesterday awaiting members of the Garda Technical Bureau.
The State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison, was due to carry out a post-mortem on Mr Poland's body.
Mr Poland worked as a block-layer and a second-hand car dealer. A large number of second-hand cars and vans were to be seen on his property in an area in which many new houses have been built in recent years.
His brother, Raymond, who lives a short distance from the victim's home, said: "We can't believe what has happened. Seán was a lovely man, a happy-go -lucky person."
He said he was informed of his brother's murder at 12.20 a.m. on New Year's Day.
"We haven't a clue as to why this has happened. We are just waiting at the moment to be told by the gardaí," he added.
Father Brendan Cleary anointed Mr Poland shortly after midnight in the hallway of his home and he said yesterday there is complete shock in the area over Mr Poland's death.
He said: "I have been here for years and years and I can never remember anything like this. People were just saying what a quiet and peaceful Christmas it was and then this tragedy takes place.
"It is a respectable area with no problems of any kind," said Father Cleary. "Mr Poland's death was the result of a dastardly, pathetic act," he added.
Ms Claire Hickey, a neighbour, said the area is "shocked to the core" by Mr Poland's death.
"He went to school with my son, John. He was a nice, quiet man who kept to himself," she said.
It is the first murder investigation launched in Co Clare in 14 months.
The last suspected murder was the death of Ennis teenager, Ms Lorraine O'Connor (19), on October 21st, 2001.
A 31-year-old man has been charged with Ms O'Connor's murder and is to face trial later this year.
In relation to Mr Poland's death, Supt Keane said: "I would appeal to anyone who has any information about this crime or anyone who was in the Blackwater area between 11.30 p.m. and midnight and who have may have seen anyone acting suspiciously, to contact Mayorstone Garda Station."
The phone number is 061-456980.
