An investigation is underway into the death of a US national at a five-star hotel in Co Laois.
The man, aged in his 60s, was discovered unconscious on a bathroom floor in Ballyfin Demesne hotel on Tuesday evening and was later pronounced dead.
It is understood the deceased was the victim of an assault.
Gardaí were alerted to the incident and arrested a man in his 30s, also an American national, at the hotel.
The two men had been travelling together.
The arrested man is being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
Gardaí are not looking for any other suspects at this time in the case, which is being described as “extremely tragic”.
Emergency services were called to the hotel and discovered the victim’s body in a bathroom in a leisure area of the upmarket hotel.
The victim and the suspect had travelled from the United States to Ireland yesterday and the victim’s family were notified by gardai of the fatal incident late last night.
Gardaí are investigating “all the circumstances surrounding the death of a man at a hotel in north Co Laois on Tuesday evening,” a spokesperson confirmed.
The services of the Garda Technical Bureau and Office of the State Pathologist were requested.
A Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) has been appointed to lead the investigation and an incident room has been established at Portlaoise Garda Station.
A Family Liaison Officer (FLO) will be appointed to support the family of the deceased.
The hotel is one of Ireland’s most exclusive accommodation options, with celebrities regularly staying in the luxury hotel.
It hit global headlines in 2014 after celebrity couple Kim Kardashian and Kanye West opted to stay there as part of their five-day Irish honeymoon.
Ballyfin Demesne has been contacted for comment.
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News Catch Up – Tuesday 12th November