Ray Kennedy: Gang of f ive thugs attacked my son, 19, and broke his nose
RTÉ newscaster tells of vicious assault by group who tried to steal victim’s bike
RTÉ newscaster Ray Kennedy has spoken out about a horror attack on his son by five thugs who were trying to steal his bicycle.
The assault on 19-year-old Ciarán Kennedy took place on the Swords Road in Dublin as he was cycling home late at night from his part-time job with Ryanair at the airport.
The engineering student suffered a broken nose, but was saved by three people who saw the attack.
Two men in a passing car passing managed to grab the bike off the gang, while a woman in a separate car stopped to check on the injured teenager.
On social media, Mr Kennedy said his son was strong and knew self-defence, but that he had been outnumbered.
He said: ‘I confirm my son was attacked on Friday night, he was cycling home after work… Five thugs outnumbered him, punched him, broke his nose – black eyes and cuts.’
The newscaster added: ‘I can’t thank those who came to his aid enough. Without them, who knows? He’s on the mend now.’
He said his son had been an easy target, as he had been
‘I honestly despair sometimes’
cycling uphill between Santry and Whitehall when he was suddenly targeted.
Mr Kennedy said that he first learned of the assault when he received a phone call from the woman who came to Ciarán’s aid.
He said he had initially been wary of answering the call, because it was late and he did not recognise the number. ‘She told me she was with my son and he had just been attacked,’ Mr Kennedy told the Irish Daily Star.
Ciarán told him that five men ‘jumped out of the bush and shouted, “gimme your bike!”’.
He then brought his son to Beaumont Hospital, where he received treatment for his injuries.
‘He has to get an operation now to straighten his nose. But I know it could have been a lot worse,’ Mr Kennedy said. ‘He’s on the mend now.’
He said Ciarán would now have to take time off his summer job with Ryanair to recover.
‘I think I will be dropping him and collecting him by car from now on. He won’t be cycling home,’ Mr Kennedy added.
Gardaí have confirmed they are investigating the assault that occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Responding to Mr Kennedy’s tweet, Dublin Cycling Campaign said they hoped Ciarán made a full recovery – both mentally and physically.
It also noted that there has been a spate of violent bicycle thefts recently, with some cycling groups reporting that some areas of the city, such as the Grand Canal cycle path and certain Luas stops in south Dublin, have become a no-go area for cyclists after dark.
An investigation by noteworthy. ie found there has been a 65% increase in bike and scooter thefts under the threat of violence, or where actual violence was used, between 2019 and 2020, with reported figures rising from 79 to 131. As of mid-February this year, there were already 26 such incidents reported to the gardaí, according to a response by the Department of Justice to a parliamentary question in March.
Several of Mr Kennedy’s RTÉ colleagues offered their sympathy and support to the family, including political reporter Sandra Hurley, news editor Bethan Kilfoil and health correspondent Fergal Bowers.
Broadcaster and writer Maia Dunphy added: ‘This is awful Ray, I honestly despair sometimes. Glad your son is on the mend.’