The Louth County Coroner is to hold a preliminary hearing in the coming weeks into the death of Seamus Ludlow, the forestry worker murdered by loyalists on 2 May 1976.

Ronan McGuire recently received and is still studying the so-called Murphy Report. That was the review of the original garda investigation into the murder, carried out by Superintendent Ted Murphy in the late 1990s.

Mr McGuire said he proposed holding a preliminary hearing involving members of the Ludlow family and garda representatives to discuss the scope of the inquest.

The full hearing into the death of Mr Ludlow will take place at a later date.

The original inquest took place in August 1976 with no members of the Ludlow family present, as they were not told in time.

Mr Ludlow was a 47-year-old man who was walking home from a pub when he was murdered by four loyalists in north Louth.

The Ludlow family is still awaiting the publication of the inquiry conducted by Mr Justice Henry Barron into the murder.