A teenager who was 14 when he fatally stabbed a 21-year-old man will be sentenced next year after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
The boy, who is now 16 and cannot be named, admitted killing Lorcan O'Reilly on 1 November last year at Oliver Bond Street flats in Dublin city centre.
The Central Criminal Court heard Mr O'Reilly was trying to stop a fight between two youths when the teenager began swinging a hurley and he took it from him.
During a verbal altercation the youth was heard to threaten Mr O'Reilly and warned him to "watch who you're talking to".
Witnesses said Mr O'Reilly told him he did not care who he was, he was not going to let a 14-year-old speak to him like that.
The youth left and returned three minutes later with a knife and stabbed Mr O'Reilly in the chest.
Mr O'Reilly chased after him and there was a second altercation during which the teenager stabbed Mr O'Reilly in the face.
Lorcan O'Reilly was taken to St James's Hospital where he later died despite extensive efforts by medical staff to save his life.
His death was caused by a stab wound to the chest, close to his heart.
Detective Inspector Paul Cleary told the court that 23 people were present on the night as they had earlier attended a Halloween bonfire at the flat complex.
The incident was also captured on CCTV. Witnesses had identified him and the youth later attended a garda station with his grandmothers.
A number of witnesses gave statements to gardaí but there was "major concern" on the part of gardaí about the "vulnerability, safety and welfare" of those witnesses, the court heard.
The boy was arrested in March this year and during that interview with gardaí he exercised his right to silence.
The case has been adjourned to 6 February next year to allow time for the preparation of probation reports.
The court was told the victim of the stabbing was a single man who was the eldest of four children and was very popular in the area.
Garda Cleary said people "spoke very well of him". Members of his family will make victim impact statements in February.
