Updated 10.55pm

A MAN APPEARED in court in Dublin earlier today charged with the murder of Tom O’Gorman at a house in Castleknock at the weekend.

34-year-old Saverio Bellante, with an address at Beechpark Avenue in Castleknock, was remanded in custody for a week during an appearance at Blanchardstown District Court this morning, RTÉ News is reporting. The accused said he was representing himself.

Tom O’Gorman, who was 39, worked as a researcher at Catholic lobby group the Iona Institute for the past seven years.

The organisation’s director, David Quinn, paid tribute to him in his column in the Irish Independent this morning, saying he was “still processing” what had happened.

In describing his friend and colleague he said “he did fantastic impressions of the politicians of the day and he did a note-perfect impersonation of Michael Noonan and Enda Kenny”.

Quinn also wrote of the 39-year-old’s interest in rugby and football:

I will miss him greatly and will feel the loss every time I remember all the conversations we might have had about last night’s game, and now never will.

The Pro Life Campaign Ireland also paid tribute to Tom, posting this image on its Facebook page this morning:

(Image: Pro Life Campaign Ireland/Facebook)

The campaign group described his death as “a huge shock and painful loss”.

“Everyone who met him came away with an enhanced sense of their own worth born from the experience of his interest in them as a human being,” it said.

In this, Tom was something of a phenomenon. He was a ‘people person’ par excellence and a kind man who loved meeting people and getting to know them and share their lives.

As the news of his death has spread on TV and social media, the outpourings of sadness and memories of his goodness are reflections of the huge circle of people he knew whose lives he touched.

The group expressed condolences to Tom’s family, in particular his brother, Paul and sister, Catherine.

Comments on this article have been disabled as court proceedings are now under way.

Additional reporting, Michelle Hennessy.

First published 11am

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