Ronan Halloran's body was recovered from the Galway docks near the city centre on the afternoon of Monday, 11 December.

Garda�? at the city's Mill Street station are still investigating if there was any connection between the young man's drowning and a "minor altercation" in which he was involved in nearby Eyre Square in the early hours of the previous Saturday morning.

The state pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, carried out a post-mortem examination on the young man at University College Hospital, Galway on Tuesday, 12 December. The cause of his death was determined as drowning.

A spokesman for garda�? in Galway said: "Like any case of this nature we are operating a thorough investigation into the young man's death. We know that Dr Marie Cassidy found that the cause of death was drowning, but we are investigating what happened before he went into the water."

Halloran had been socialising in Galway with friends on Saturday, 9 December, and he was last seen in the early hours of the next morning heading in the direction of the docks.

The garda�?'s investigations are now focusing on Halloran's last movements. He was involved in "a minor altercation" shortly before he was last seen, close to the AIB bank on the southern end of Eyre Square.

He was reported missing to garda�? on Sunday and emergency services conducted a lengthy search before his body was recovered from the docks around lunchtime on the Monday.

Garda�? have confirmed that they have spoken to friends of Halloran's who were out with him on the night, and they are anxious to talk to anyone who was in the area between Eyre Square and the docks in the early hours of Sunday, 10 December, to come forward.

The garda spokesman said:

"Mr Halloran was six feet one in height and of strong build.

When last seen, he was wearing cream trousers and a black v-neck pullover with pink diagonal stripes.

"We appeal for anyone with any information that may help our investigation to contact Mill Street garda station on 091-538000."

Halloran was from Shrule in South Mayo, near the Galway border. He was buried in Shrule on Thursday, 14 December.