Gardai in Cork are investigating an attack on a 17-year-old French student who lost part of her ear when set upon by two local girls in the city on Thursday evening. The girl, who was staying with a family in the suburb of Douglas in Cork, was on her way home with some friends - also in Cork to learn English - when the attack occured.
According to Garda sources, there was some exchange of words between the French students and two Cork girls before the attack.
It is understood that when the French students asked if there was a problem, the girl concerned was set upon.
In the attack which happened at about 10.45 p.m. she was bitten on the upper rim of her right ear and also sustained a bite mark to her left cheek.
The French girl has not been named and Garda authorities in Cork said last night she had received treatment at the South Infirmary Hospital in the city prior to being discharged. She was described as being very shocked.
Her assailants were described as two teenage "dyed blondes". After the fracas, they took a bus from Douglas into the city centre while the French student walked with her friends to her host family in the Amberley area of Grange, Douglas.
At the hospital her wounds were dressed and cleaned and she was given precautionary injections. She was also seen by a plastic surgeon in Cork.
The co-ordinator of the French student's English course Mr Mark Cullen, said his group had been facilitating French students in the city for more than 20 years but there had never before been an incident such as this.
While he was shocked, he said the incident was an isolated one and should be seen as such. He asked that the privacy of the French girl be respected by the media.