Elderly victim of knifepoint robbery moves into new Cork home

79-year-old Gerry O'Halloran and his 84-year-old sister Mary were traumatised after an early morning robbery at Gerry's Boyce's Street home in February

Gerry O'Halloran and his sister Mary were threatened by a male intruder at a house in Gurranabraher on the northside of Cork city on February 13. Picture: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

An elderly man who was held at knifepoint with his sister at his Cork city home has moved into a new Share home on the northside.

79-year-old Gerry O’Halloran from Boyce’s Street, Gurranabraher, on the northside of Cork City, moved into the house on Wolfe Tone Street on Wednesday, after being discharged from hospital.

He had not wanted to return to the house on Boyce’s Street after the terrifying ordeal he and his 84-year-old sister Mary endured.

He has been in hospital since being robbed in his home on Sunday, February 13.

Nobody has been arrested in connection with the incident.

Mary, who was also held at knifepoint after she called to visit her brother during the incident, told the Irish Examiner her brother was delighted to be moving into his new home.

She said: “He is after moving all his stuff into the house now.” 

She said she went to his new home on Wednesday morning to welcome him there.

Gerry had been living at the Boyce’s Street property for almost a decade.

On the morning of the break-in at his home, Mary called to the house, not knowing that her brother was being held at knifepoint by an intruder. Picture: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

On the morning of the break-in at his home, Mary called to the house, not knowing that her brother was being held at knifepoint by an intruder.

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

When she tried to get in with a key she had for the property, she was unable to open the door. The intruder opened it to let her in before threatening her and Gerry with a long blade.

He threatened they would both be stabbed.

During the hour-long incident, from around 7.30am, he cut the telephone line and also took bulbs out of the fitting in the front room.

The intruder managed to flee from the house with €1,800 — €1,000 from Mary and €800 from Gerry.

While they sustained minor injuries in the incident, they were both traumatised.

Gerry was taken to the Mercy University Hospital for treatment before being transferred to St Mary’s hospital, where he remained until Wednesday.

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

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.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact Gurranabraher Garda Station on 021 4946200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.