A parish priest was recovering in the intensive care unit of the Limerick Regional Hospital yesterday after being stabbed and beaten during a raid on his home early on Saturday morning.
An hour earlier a 72-year-old woman who lives alone in a remote area two miles away was assaulted and robbed by two men.
Father Liam Kelly (62) was in bed at his home at Parteen, Co Clare, which is on the Limerick border, when he was disturbed at 1.30 a.m. by two intruders wearing balaclavas. They got in through the bedroom window of his bungalow home. They beat him up, demanding money and took his wallet containing £40 in notes. They then made him walk to an office at the other end of the house. They stabbed the priest seven times in the chest with what he believed was a steel letter opener when a safe was opened and found to be empty, according to the parish clerk, Mr Frank Larkin.
The youths then tied the priest to a chair, using the telephone cable and the lead from a carpet sweeper, and made off in his car. Father Kelly freed himself after two hours and made his way to Mr Larkin's home. Mr Larkin said that at about 3.30 a.m. he and his wife heard the priest call out in a feeble voice. Mrs Larkin found the priest, who "was bleeding severely, in great pain and appeared to be traumatised".
Mr Larkin said that while waiting for the ambulance Father Kelly told him how he was tied up and a leather belt fastened around his mouth.
The priest's car was found burnt out at Moyross housing estate. Also destroyed were a set of golf clubs and his battery-powered caddie cart. His empty wallet was found near the community centre.
Father Kelly was formerly a two handicap golfer who played Senior Cup for Castletroy and Munster. He was also a noted Limerick county hurler in the late 1950s and was a sub on the Limerick team that beat Clare in the 1955 Munster final.
Mr Seamus Harrold, president of Castletroy Golf Club, said yesterday: "I feel personally offended by this dastardly act. Father Kelly was a warm, kindly man who would have given them the money if they had asked him for it."
Mr Gerry Bennis, former chairman of the Limerick County GAA Board, said: "We are all shocked at the nature of the crime. It was a frightening act. Father Kelly was a gentle soul, a lovely person and a great hurler." Mr Donal Fitzgibbon, chairman of the county board, said: "He was a quiet unassuming man with a lovely presence. He maintained a continued interest in the game at county and parish level."
Gardai working under Det Insp John Reilly of Henry Street and Mary Street Stations are examining the possibility of a connection between the attack on Father Kelly and a similar robbery at 11.30 p.m. on Friday. Two men broke into the home of Ms Jenny Ryan (72) of Anabeg Lock House, a remote area outside Clonlara, Co Clare. The raiders were said to have "roughed up" the woman, locked her in a room and made off with about £100. She freed herself after two hours and walked a mile to the Lame Duck public house at Clonlara where she raised the alarm. Ms Ryan was yesterday recovering from her ordeal. Father Kelly was "more comfortable and in good form although still very ill", according to the hospital.