Priest tied up and threatened by masked raiders

A MIDDLE-AGED priest was tied up and threatened with baseball bats by thugs who broke into his home late on Thursday night.

The four masked men tied up the priest during a robbery in Co Kilkenny on Thursday night. Fr James Dollard, parish priest of Conahy, an area five miles from Kilkenny city, was unhurt.

The thugs were dressed in combat gear.

They got away with some property. Fr Dollard answered the door just before 10pm and was pushed indoors by two men who were followed into the house by two others.

Fr Dollard was tied to a chair as the men ransacked his home.

The raiders demanded money and the keys of the safe.

Gardaí at Castlecomer, are looking for three medium-built men and one very large man who were involved and made their getaway in a large dark blue car.

A man who answered the telephone in the priest’s home yesterday said he had no comment to make on the matter.

Gardaí say bridge and bingo sessions were ongoing in the parish on Thursday night and they are hopeful that someone gathered for either event may have seen something.

The popular parish priest was ordained in 1967 and has been stationed in the area for several years. He is an avid GAA supporter and is president of the local GAA club, Conahy Shamrocks.

Locals said he was shaken after the attack but will be saying Mass as normal in the local parish church tonight and tomorrow.

Any information will be treated in confidence and should be forwarded to gardaí on 056-41222.