Gardai investigating the murders of Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee in Sligo town this week are believed to be examining the online dating history of a suspect in custody.
A man in his 20s was arrested yesterday morning on suspicion of murder
Although two separate murder investigations are underway, one line of inquiry is that they are linked.
Gardai are investigating if both Michael and Aidan met their attacker on an online dating app and if there was a homophobic motive behind these two murders.
They're also examining if there is link to a third in the town last Friday where a man sustained serious eye injuries.
Gardai are appealing to any men in the Sligo area who have been harassed or attacked in recent days and weeks to contact them.
Sligo-Leitrim Td martin Kenny says the fact that gardai are investigating a possible hate motive for the murders is especially shocking.
The Sinn Fein Justice spokesperson says that Gardai will treat all contributions sensitively and in confidence.
He is urging anyone in the LGBT community especially to share even the smallest shred of information they may have.
'' Of course the Gardai are investigating the possibility that this was a hate crime. And we understand of course that particularly in the LGBT community they are particularly anxious and worried at this time. And I think, you know, we would like to echo the appeal that anyone that may have any information or anything, regardless of how trivial it may seem to go forward with it as quickly as possible, because it's very important that whoever the person or persons involved in this are caught on are brought to justice because it's a terrible thing.''
