A Limerick postmaster who was saved from a shotgun blast by a security screen has described how he reached for his own shotgun when he saw armed raiders coming into the post office. Mr Sean O'Riordan was in the office at Ballyneety, Co Limerick, at 10 a.m. yesterday when a motorcycle pulled up outside, and two masked men dismounted and came through the door.
Mr O'Riordan (60) said he could see one of the men was armed, and his first reaction was to put a lock on a door in the post office. Then one of the raiders, armed with what gardai believe was a sawn-off shotgun, demanded money.
"I was determined not to give the post office money or my own," said Mr Riordan. The postmaster said he grabbed his own shotgun and was "reaching for a cartridge" when the raider "let fly indiscriminately".
The raider's gunshot shattered the security window in the office, but Mr O'Riordan suffered only slight injuries.
The robbers escaped empty-handed on the motorcycle in the direction of Crecora. The motorcycle was recovered later by gardai three miles away, at Carnane School.
The postmaster was taken to Limerick Regional Hospital for treatment of his injuries and for shock, and was later discharged.
He was back at work later yesterday evening.
A Garda spokesman said that the security glass appeared to have saved Mr O'Riordan's life, as the shot was fired at point-blank range. Gardai at Henry Street Garda station (061-414222) are looking for witnesses.