THE ex-boyfriend of COLIN FARRELL's new girl killed himself after she started going out with the star, reports The Sun.

John Marc Knight, 22, was said to have been "devastated" when fellow student Muireann McDonnell fell for the Irish film star.

The pair had already split when she met Phone Booth actor Farrell, 30, over Christmas.

A grieving friend said "Nobody in either family is assigning blame and there is no bad feeling towards either Muireann or Colin. John Marc's death is a terrible tragedy and it is a huge loss to all of us."