The individual murdered in his own cell at Cloverhill Prison on Saturday has been identified as 43-year-old Martin Salinger, a resident of Ballyfermot in Dublin. Mr Salinger, who was a horse and carriage entrepreneur hailing from The Liberties, was slain at around 5.30am following an altercation in his cell on the prison’s D1 landing.
Salinger was fatally wounded in his neck within his quarters located on the protective floor of the remand prison. Initial reports suggest a makeshift object was possibly the murder weapon. A thorough forensic investigation is ongoing inside the sealed off cell where the incident took place. In this two-person cell there were three inmates present when the murder happened, with one of the other two inmates sustaining injuries and subsequently receiving medical care in the prison’s infirmary.
Post the incident, arrangements were made to move the deceased out of prison to conduct an autopsy. The Coroner was informed in due course, with an inquest scheduled for a future date. All circumstances surrounding Mr Salinger’s death are under scrutiny by the officials at Ronanstown Garda station.
A man in his 30s is currently held under suspicion of the murder at a Garda station in west Dublin, under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. Salinger’s arrest two months ago on charges associated with drugs and firearms was the result of a Dublin Crime Response Team investigation.
The Irish Prison Service expressed their condolences to Mr Salinger’s bereaved family, officially confirming the death of an individual in custody at Cloverhill Prison on the 5th of October, 2024. The investigation continues.
Enquiries into this particular incidence are being conducted by An Garda Síochána, making further comment unsuitable at this time. The Inspector of Prisons also investigates all occurrences of deaths in custody.
The Irish Prison Service would like to extend heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of the deceased.
The late Mr Salinger was the proprietor of the four-generational business, Dublin Horse Drawn Carriages. Speaking to the Project Bowes website back in 2015, Mr Salinger explained that his great grandfather, Michael Salinger, was the one who established the business.
Mr Salinger stated his work for the business began during his teenage years and he took great joy in showcasing the city’s attractions to tourists. Mr Salinger confessed, “Even at 34, I still feel thrilled about going to work and I find it gratifying. Every time you set off, it’s a new experience. It’s nothing like being confined to an office.”
He noted that in his younger years, the carriages were the go-to mode of transportation for individuals after a night out on the town. However, the carriage company made the decision to switch to offering services such as tours, weddings, funerals, and some TV and film jobs after taxi regulations lightened in the year 2000. Salinger went on to share that several tourists frequently availed their services over the years.
He added, “You’d see them returning every year, saying ‘we were here last year,’ and you establish a rapport. You don’t forget somebody if you’ve had them in your carriage for even just half an hour.”