Shock as two women attacked in Macroom mugging

A West Cork community is said to be very upset following the muggings of two locals this week. A woman in her nineties and another in her sixties were walking in the castle grounds of Macroom on Tuesday afternoon when they were both knocked to the ground by two men who stole a handbag before leaving the scene. 

Speaking about the incident, local councillor Martin Coughlan said: “I know both of them. One lady lives across the way from where I’m living, she’d be 90. The other lady would call to her maybe once or twice a week and take her for a stroll in the castle grounds or somewhere like that. The community are very upset over it. I’m very upset over it myself. It’s a beautiful place to go for a walk.”

The men left the scene heading through the Macroom Golf Club and onto the road at Sleeven Upper. The woman in her nineties was brought to CUH with minor injuries. The two suspects are described as both being tall, thin and in their late teens or early twenties.

The attack is the one of several crimes that have shook the local community in the past year. Last month a local man was assaulted on Castle St, sustaining several head injuries and broken nose. In March another man was charged with the assault of a 73 year-old local, who was left critically injured while in February 20 cars were keyed by a person in a single incident.

In October last year two murders occurred over two weeks in Macroom.

Cllr Coughlan said: “I’ve been involved in the community all my life. Macroom is not like that. I’ve seen these things happen over the years. They were isolated incidents. Every few years, a few young fellas come along, they fall into the wrong habits, and it takes a while to get them out of it again. I think that’s the same in every community, every town, and every village in Ireland. It’s a cycle that happens. We’re probably going through that cycle over the last 12 months.”

Gardaí are appealing for anyone who was in the castle grounds, Macroom Golf Club or Sleeven Upper, and who may have seen the two men. They are also seeking any drivers who were in the area at the time and who have dash cam footage. No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing, gardaí also confirmed.

Anyone with information can contact Macroom Garda Station on 026-20590, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666111 or any garda station.