The dead man's identity is known to gardai but they have declined to release it publicly until his family are notified in the UK. The victim was aged 37 and was known by the nickname "Goldtooth Gary". He lived among a commune of travellers on the Coole mountain in Kilmichael.

Three women aged from 19 to their early 40s were in garda custody yesterday after being arrested in Dublin last Friday night. All three were known to the dead man and one of those in custody is believed to have been his partner. Their period of detention was extended yesterday afternoon. A fourth man was being detained in Dungarvan, Co Waterford.

He is believed to have made the phone call tipping gardai off about the fact that the body had been dumped in a slurry pit on a farm outside Dunmanway in West Cork.

Officers believe that the victim was struck on the head with a blunt instrument following an altercation at a party two weeks ago. A search of the farm is ongoing.