Two elderly brothers beaten in house raid

Gardaí have appealed for help in finding two raiders who beat up and robbed two elderly bachelor brothers after breaking into their house.

Michael Kelly, 82, and Owen Kelly, 80, were subjected to a night of terror after two men broke into their remote farmhouse in north Co Galway.

The two raiders, who were armed with a knife and firearm, broke into the farmhouse down a remote laneway in the townland of Ballyroe near Williamstown on the Galway-Roscommon border at 11pm on Thursday.

The intruders, who had Irish accents and wore balaclavas, tied up the two men and beat them before ransacking the house looking for money.

Gardaí said that they spent over three hours at the house demanding money.

The two brothers received only minor injuries but were traumatised by the attack. They were treated locally for their injuries and did not need to go to hospital.

The dark-clothed attackers, one who was approximately 5ft 5in and medium build and the other who was taller and of medium build, fled the scene around 2.30am with a small amount of cash.

The elderly brothers spent the rest of the night tied up but managed to raise the alarm around 6am.

The attack has shocked the local community, with Ballyroe parish priest Fr Joe Poole saying people were very upset by what had happened to the popular brothers.

“It is a very sad day when someone breaks into the home of two old men who have worked all their lives,” he said.

Neighbour Leo Finnegan said local people were outraged by the vicious attack on the two vulnerable elderly men.

“This is a quiet place, a rural place and we are not used to any incidents as this type. The whole are is very shocked,” said Mr Finnegan.

Labour Party Senator Lorraine Higgins also expressed her relief that the elderly brothers were not severely harmed in the attack. “Thankfully, the elderly men were not seriously injured but they are said to be deeply shocked by the incident,” said Ms Higgins. “A robbery such as this is an affront to all basic human dignity and it offends us all, attacking as it does, one of the most vulnerable sections of society.”

Gardaí in Tuam are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed any thing unusual or seen any suspicious activity around the area during the time or in the preceding days, or who has information concerning the incident, to contact Tuam Garda Station at 093-70840, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.