Mary and her brother were attacked and robbed in Cork over the weekend.
Tuesday night’s episode of Prime Time left viewers emotional following an interview with one of the victims of an aggravated burglary in Cork.
In the shocking attack on Sunday, 84-year-old Mary O’Halloran and her 79-year-old brother Gerry, were targeted by a mask-wearing intruder who robbed them at knife point.
Host Miriam O’Callaghan took a trip to Cork to visit Mary, who explained that her brother is still in hospital following the incident.
“He’s not doing too bad, still nervous,” she said. “He was happy to see me. All we have is to help one another.”
She recounted the events of that day, explaining how she had went to her brother’s home in the morning to care for him and noticed she could not get into the house as it was locked from the inside.
When she asked if he was okay, he responded: “I’m not, I’m being attacked.”
Mary soon found herself being attacked by the intruder too.
“He held a knife up to my throat and he said he was going to kill me and that he was going to kill my brother as well if we didn’t give him money.
“I was [frightened]. I was shaking. I started roaring. Says he, ‘shut your mouth’, he says to me.
“I says, ‘leave us alone and go out’. But he wouldn’t leave us alone.”
The man took €1,800 in cash before fleeing the scene. Mary and Gerry were then treated for injuries by paramedics. Gardaí are currently investigating the incident are appealing for information.
Viewers took to Twitter to share their support for the pair.
“I had a Granny like Mary and I had a neighbour like Mary. My heart bleeds for her and her brother Gerry,” one person wrote.
Tired of hearing stories of elderly people getting attacked in their own homes in #ireland #sosad #rtept
— Peter Jo (@ogormanpeter) February 15, 2022
“Tired of hearing stories of elderly people getting attacked in their own homes in #ireland,” another said.
“Imagine robbing and assaulting that woman. Shocking,” a third added.
In January, another aggravated burglary in Sligo left an elderly man on life support.
