‘I’m grand. We’re going to get drunk and celebrate’
The two brothers who were abducted seven days ago walked into Portlaoise Garda Station at 3am yesterday morning and were brought back to Limerick by gardaí.
Gardaí and the army had spent the last six days combing the hills on the Limerick/Clare border for the brothers, who enjoyed a few beers and a laugh with friends yesterday. Both were in good health and were wearing new sports gear with hoods.
“I’m grand, perfect and just happy to be alive. We’re going to get drunk and celebrate,” a relaxed Kieran Ryan said.
The 19-year-old said he didn’t know where he was held for the last seven days and was just relieved to be home.
“I don’t know, I couldn’t tell you. My mother is in great form and I’m delighted that my mother is in great form. I’m happy to see the whole family again and especially my daughter,” he said.
Kieran’s three-month-old daughter Kelsey was brought to the house by her mother, Edel O’Neill, 17, earlier in the morning.
Holding Kelsey in his arms, Kieran said he hopes the child will be christened in a few weeks.
The christening had to be cancelled after the Ryan brothers were bundled into a large black car close to their home on the Moylish Road last week.
“From the time I got taken, to the time I got home, I thought I was going to be dead,” he said.
Mr Ryan admitted he’s too frightened to talk to anyone about his ordeal. “I got threatened and I’m not going to talk to anyone about it. I’ve been threatened not to talk ,” he said.
When asked if he was hurt or
injured during the last week Kieran refused to answer. However, his uncle John Ryan said that he wasn’t harmed.
“According to the boys themselves they were well treated. They were looked after,” he said.
The missing men’s young sister Serena, 12, said she was delighted her big brothers had returned home safely.
“I’m very happy they are back. We heard they were coming home around 5am when my aunt rang us,” she said.
Eddie Ryan got out of bed to come down and speak with the media. He said he was happy to be home but felt wrecked.
He looked tired and wore the same type of red and white Rebook hoodie top as his brother.
The men’s mother, Mary, spent much of the morning in bed after collecting her sons at Henry Street Garda Station at 6am.
She got up before midday and spoke to reporters from her doorstep in her pyjamas. She put her arms around her two sons when she spoke.
“Nobody in this world can describe it. I’m with my family, the ones that I love. I have my children today, I might not have my husband but I have my children and it’s the next best thing.
“Nothing will compensate you for your children, and I want to thank everyone who went out searching,” she said.
John Ryan said he feared that he’d never see his nephews again. His brother and Kieran and Eddies’ father, Eddie senior, was shot in the Moose Bar, Limerick City, in November, 2000.
“I feel delighted the boys are back. I didn’t think they’d come back to be honest. We thought they were dead. We got the word about 6am that the lads were coming home,” he said.
Mr Ryan doesn’t know why his nephews were kidnapped, but said the abduction added more bitterness to the violent feud in which his family are involved. “It’s up to them now, the feud was dead before they kidnapped the two boys. I don’t know what the reason behind the kidnapping was. I haven’t got a clue but they’re after suffering themselves in the long run,” he said.
Mr Ryan grimly warned the feud could linger on for a long time unless both sides are willing to make peace.
“They’ve started the whole thing up again. We don’t want any trouble. We want no revenge.
“It’s their own doing what happened, whether it’s someone else interfering or not, we don’t know, we didn’t do it anyway.
“If they want to call it quits, we’ll call it quits, if they don’t then that’s their problem,” he said.
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