'He had the knife up to our throats': Woman, 83, speaks out after burglary at Cork home

Gerry O'Halloran and his sister Mary were threatened by a male intruder at a house in Gurranabraher on the northside of Cork city

Mary O'Halloran was visiting her younger brother Gerry at his home on Boyce's Street in Gurranabraher. Picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

An 84-year-old Cork woman has told how a masked man put a knife to her throat as he held her brother and herself hostage and demanded they hand over money.

Mary O’Halloran called to home of her brother Gerry (79) on Boyce’s Street in Gurranabraher, Cork city, on Sunday morning, not knowing that Gerry was being held at knifepoint by an intruder.

A taxi dropped her outside the house and she immediately wondered why there was a light on in her brother’s porch, as it would be unusual.

“When I was trying to open the door, I couldn’t," she said. "I have a key but I still couldn’t open it. It was blocked. He (the man) opened the door then and left me in but shoved me over by the bed.” 

The man had a knife with a long blade, which he held up to both her and her brother.

During the hour-long ordeal, which started at around 7.30am, he cut the telephone line and also took bulbs out of the lights in the front room.

She says: “He was going to stab us if we didn’t give him money. He took €800 from my brother and €1,000 from me. When he got the money, he ran away up Boyce’s Street.” 

Gerry’s home help raised the alarm a short time later but the man remains at large.

Mary went back to tidy up Gerry’s house. She was initially unable to enter because the thief had the door blocked. Picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

Gerry is in the Mercy University Hospital since the incident and cannot have visitors. He was not seriously injured in the incident on Sunday but was distressed.

"He’s afraid inside in the hospital. I was talking to him on the phone," said Mary. "The girl let me talk to him because you are not let into the ward and he was still shaken, he told me."

Mary suffered a cut to her thumb and is recovering at home in Ballyphehane, with her sister Betty.

A Gofundme campaign set up by paramedics Keith Harrington and Sean Healy raised more than €31,000 for Mary and Gerry. Two people donated €500 each to the fund, which originally had a goal of €2,000.

On the page, Keith and Sean wrote: “The response has been incredible and both Mary and Gerry have asked me to convey their sincerest gratitude for your generosity. They are now hoping to put this trauma behind them and to get on with their lives. Thank you all so much for your kind messages and support.” 

The attack is under investigation by gardaí in Cork. 

Gardai are continuing to appeal for anyone who was in the vicinity of Boyce’s Street between 6.30am and 9am who may have witnessed anything to contact Gurranabraher Garda Station on 021 4946200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

Gerry O'Halloran (79) and his 83-year-old sister Mary, who were threatened during an aggravated burglary at a house in Gurranabraher in Cork city. Picture: GoFundMe

This is the latest in a series of terrifying attacks on elderly people around the country in recent weeks.

Officers are continuing to probe the aggravated burglary and assault of 73-year-old Tom Niland in Skreen, Co Sligo on January 18. He remains on life support at Sligo University Hospital after being assaulted by three men who forced their way into his home.

In Kildare, two youths have been charged following an aggravated burglary in Celbridge last Tuesday in which a 72-year-old man was seriously injured.

Assistant Garda Commissioner for Community Engagement Paula Hilman moved to assure elderly people, saying that the number of burglaries have decreased.

“I very much recognise that there can be that fear of crime and we want to reach out to people to reassure them. Gardaí are committed to carrying out thorough investigations and will follow up all lines of enquiries and, if anyone has any information about any burglary, I would ask them to pass that to us," she told RTÉ.

Celine Clarke, head of advocacy with Age Action Ireland, said that statistics show that older people are no more likely to be a victim of crime than other age cohorts.

But she said the recent incidents are horrific and put fear into everyone.

She added: “We would say that everyone in a community should be more vigilant now and keep an eye out for each other.”

Donations can be made to the fundraising effort  here.