Aidan Moffit has been remembered by friends as somebody “who lit up the world when you were around him”.

The 42-year-old is one of two men who was viciously assaulted and murdered in his own home in County Sligo in the past two days.

Mr Moffitt’s remains were found at his home in the Cartron Heights area of Sligo on Monday night, while 58-year-old Michael Snee was found dead at his home on the Connaughton Road last night.

Both men had suffered horrific injuries and Gardaí are investigating whether there was a hate-crime motivation to the attacks.

They are also investigating whether they are linked to a stabbing attack in the city late last week in which a man suffered serious injuries to his eye.

On Lunchtime Live this afternoon, Blaine Gaffney, a close friend of Mr Moffit’s described him as a “touch of class”.

“It is important to try and talk about the man Aidan was rather than the horrific circumstances that accompany his death,” he said.

“He was a very dignified and very personable person. Hugely intelligent. Very friendly and caring and he was somebody who lit up the world when you were around him.

“He was highly professional and you just can’t say anything else but that he was a touch of class.”

"Touch of class"

He said he was somebody who enjoyed good fun and “would really go out of his way to ensure you were looked after ahead of himself”.

“If he was in a chair and there was no chair available, he would have given you that. If you were at the bar, he would make sure you couldn’t put your hand in your pocket. If you were out for a bite to eat, he wouldn’t allow you to pay the bill.

“That was the way he was. He was a larger-than-life type of character.”

A split-screen of Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee.

Gardaí are investigating whether both men met their killer online – and have urged anyone using dating apps to take extra caution.

They are appealing to anyone in the Sligo area who may have been “subject to any unwanted approaches or who was assaulted or otherwise attacked in recent days” to contact them

A man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of murder hours after Mr Snee was found dead. He is currently being questioned at Sligo Garda Station.

"Awful shock"

Mr Gaffney said he was out walking on Monday night when he first got the news that “something horrific” had happened in the Cartron area.

He said he got an “awful shock” when pictures of his friend started doing the rounds on social media later that night.

He said people all over Sligo are terrified this afternoon.

“I think the first thing you think is just lock your doors,” he said. “This is out of control. This is crazy.”

“There is a real sense of fear. A real sense of absolute numbness, shock and horror that something as tragic and horrendous as this word used by the Gardaí - hate - might be involved.

“I hate using that word because hate and Aidan, you wouldn’t associate those two things. It wasn’t in his polished vocabulary. He wouldn’t use that word.

“Just to think that something like this could happen in Sligo over the course of a weekend, is going to set the community back big time.”

You can listen back to the full interview here: