Elderly priest viciously attacked by knife-wielding female burglar

A KNIFE-wielding female intruder violently attacked an elderly priest as she robbed him at his home in Kilkenny on Saturday.

Gardaí say Fr John Delaney, 86, was preparing his Sunday sermon in the parochial house in Coon, Co. Kilkenny, when the woman burst in brandishing a knife.

The priest suffered a laceration to the head during the attack. Demanding cash from Fr Delaney, the woman stole a sum of money before fleeing.

Fr Delaney raised the alarm and a neighbour brought him to hospital where he was treated for his injuries.

Gardaí were at the scene within minutes and are asking the public for help.

‘We are appealing for information on a small, cream-coloured car.

‘The culprit is a female and is described as being of a strong build, approximately six-feet tall with dark hair. We are treating this very seriously and although we are following a number of lines of inquiry, we are also seeking the co-operation of the public to help solve this particularly heinous crime,’ said Superintendent Derek Hughes.

Local Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat Fitzpatrick said that he had visited Fr Delaney at home and said he was in ‘remarkably good spirits’ following the attack.

‘I am absolutely shocked and appalled that a man who has done so much for the community could be accosted in this way. The parishioners in Coon and in Muckalee and Ballyfoyle were horrified when they heard... Fortunately, Fr John seems to have made a good recovery. He has a very positive attitude to life and his neighbours will rally.’

Cllr Fitzpatrick said that the priest was well-known and liked not only in north Kilkenny, where he celebrates Mass, but throughout the country.

‘This is an attack not only on Fr Delaney but on rural Ireland, and I am calling for more funding for the Garda Síochána so that extra security measures can be provided for the homes of older people,’ he added.