The death of a 75-year-old mother of four in Killarney, Co Kerry, last Monday shocked the country.
Miriam Burns was found dead in the front room of her home in Arshanavooley at Monday lunchtime last week after one of her children, who lives abroad, grew concerned for her welfare.
Neighbours then called to the house where they found the grandmother dead and alerted gardai to the scene.
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Following the results of a postmortem, gardai launched a murder investigation.
Timeline
Monday, August 15
Ms Burns was found dead in a front room of her two-storey home in Arshanavooley, Killarney, at lunchtime on Monday with unexplained injuries.
After one of Ms Burns's children living abroad grew concerned for her welfare, neighbours called to the house to check on Ms Burns.
It is understood she sustained head and neck injuries and was found to have dried blood surrounding those areas.
Local sources told the Irish Independent that Ms Burns had not been seen since last Friday evening.
Gardai also confirmed there was no sign of forced entry at the house.
Tuesday, August 16
A murder investigation was launched following the completion of the postmortem examination carried out at Kerry University Hospital by State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster.
Gardai refused to release the findings of a postmortem examination for operational reasons but confirmed they were treating the grandmother's death as murder.
A Garda spokesperson said on Tuesday: "An incident room has been established at Killarney garda station, and a murder investigation has commenced under the direction of a senior investigating officer.
"A family liaison officer has been appointed and continues to keep the family informed of the investigation.
"Gardai are appealing to any persons who were in the Ardshanavooly area of Killarney between 5pm on Friday, August 12, and 1pm on Monday, August 15, and observed any activity which drew their attention to come forward."
An hour after the investigation was launched, a man aged in his 50s was arrested in relation to the murder.
He was held for questioning at Killarney Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, allowing him to be detained for 24 hours without charge.
Thursday, August 18
Shortly before 2pm on Thursday, the man was released without charge.
A file was prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and it is understood the man is liaising with gardai in relation to a separate and unrelated matter.
Gardai continued to investigate whether Mrs Burns was the target of threatening behaviour some time ago and whether that could be linked to the circumstances of her death.
Sunday, August 21
On Sunday, thousands of mourners gathered to pay their final respects to the mother of four.
The prayer service at St Mary's Cathedral started an hour later than scheduled after additional time was taken to accommodate the large crowds of people who lined up to console the family of the deceased.
Her daughter, Sharon, told mourners that her mother was a "lioness" who was known locally as the "beautiful smiling lady on the bike."
In an emotional tribute, she said Miriam was glamorous and the personification of elegance.
She said: "She was strong, powerful, a force of nature, who was great craic. She could give you what's for if the situation required it.
"Most importantly, she was brim-full of compassion and love - a woman of substance. She gave her children everything in life to be happy and strong.
"The way Mam loved is an example to us all. She was so human that the words Miriam Burns could be the future definition of what humanity means."
Updates
The probe into the death of Ms Burns continues as gardai believe the mother was fatally assaulted in her home by a person known to her sometime between the 12th and 15th of August.
It is understood that detectives have made "major progress" with the technical investigation into the circumstances in which the 75-year-old was killed and hope the results of forensic tests over the coming days will determine the course of the probe.
Gardai are believed to have received reports of multiple sightings of a chief subject, who is understood to have "pestered" Ms Burns in the run-up to her death, around her home in the days before she was killed.
Gardai are also investigating indications that the individual issued threats on previous occasions when help was refused.
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