An RTÉ presenter has opened up on social media about a "sucker-punch" he received on St Stephen's night which knocked him unconscious.
Speaking in a video uploaded on Facebook earlier this week, Voice of Ireland presenter Eoghan McDermott gave a detailed description of the unprovoked attack which caused him to be hospitalised.
McDermott said he was walking towards a taxi after being out socialising in Clondalkin when an individual or individuals approached him from behind and punched him on the back of the head while he was on the phone.
He collapsed and hit his head off concrete, according to the account, leaving him unconscious on the pavement.
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He was later taken to Tallaght Hospital and experienced symptoms including vomiting, headaches and blurred vision upon his release, and was diagnosed with concussion when he returned to the hospital.
During a two-and-a-half minute address the presenter thanked hospital staff and fans for their help and support, and explained his reasons for talking about the incident.
“I will go to the gardaí when I feel a little bit more mobile tomorrow or the day after, not for my sake but for what could happen to somebody else down the line,” said McDermott.
He continued: “I’ll be grand, it could have been a whole lot worse but that’s kind of the point- it could have been a whole lot worse. Someone could have smacked their head off concrete and had a brain haemorrhage or crazy complications that could really cause them problems.”
He added that the type of behaviour exhibited towards him and potentially others is “not on”.
“I don’t know if these guys were idiots that [HAD]a bit of bravado or if they were sinister people that do this kind of thing regularly, but that kind of behaviour is not on so I hope they’re caught,” he said.
“Let’s all try be a little bit more humane and decent to eachother in 2017, that would be a good place to start.”