US COPS HUNT FOR BARRY'S 1-PUNCH KILLER

Irishman 'who'd give you shirt off his back' hit on Paddy's Day

- SARAH SLATER and JOHN HAND

BY SARAH SLATER and JOHN HAND Chief Reporter POLICE are hunting for a thug who killed an Irishman in a one-punch attack on St Patrick's Day in the US.

Barry Whelan, 46, had told colleagues that he had planned to have a pint of Guinness in Boston.

However, the carpenter - who would "give you the shirt off his back" - was targeted in the city's downtown area at 9pm on March 17.

Investigators believe he was knocked unconscious when he was punched once to the head.

Mr Whelan was taken to hospital where he clung on to life for seven days before his life-support machine was switched off.

A postmortem has established the cause of death was blunt force trauma and ruled it a homicide.