Hero boyfriend overpowers gunman in robbery stand-off

A 29-year-old man was hailed a hero after bravely overpowering a gunman during a hostage incident in Clare in which a weapon was discharged.

The man, his girlfriend, and her father, a handyman, had been held at gunpoint by a man in his 50s, believed to be from Listowel, Co Kerry, on Thursday.

The boyfriend suffered a leg injury during the scuffle and was admitted to University Hospital Limerick.

The incident took place outside a property at Deer-park, between Sixmilebridge and Shannon. The handyman had been doing work on a laneway when the situation arose. The owner of the property, a retired solicitor, remained inside and was unaware of the unfolding drama.

Local councillor Alan O’Callaghan said the move by the 29-year-old “to make a dash and overpower” the gunman “was very brave”.

The incident had lasted for more than two hours on Thursday. A man was later arrested and held under section 30 of the Offences Against the Person Act.

Mr O’Callaghan, a family friend of one of the hostages, said the couple went to the scene after the wife of the handyman had become worried about him being late for dinner.

“The boyfriend had a split-second decision to make, I was told,” said Mr O’Callaghan. “He is a big strong man and was able to use his strength. The father is a very quiet, gentle man but he told me that he got the power from somewhere to help restrain the gunman.

“There was a few seconds of panic when the gun went off, but thankfully no one was injured.”

The handyman, aged 67, had been working on a laneway at around 5.30pm on Thursday. “He had been cutting the hedge back and he heard a voice say ‘don’t move’ and looked around to see the man wearing a balaclava pointing a gun at him,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

The armed man, he said, could not gain access to the home and held the handyman at gunpoint. He “pleaded with the gunman, that he had nothing and couldn’t help him”.

The phones and wallets had been seized from all three hostages.

Throughout the incident, the owner of the house remained inside, unaware of the drama outside.