ARMED gardai, some with flak jackets, were early this morning keeping out of sight around the house as the siege at the Co Cavan firm continued.
Negotiators continued a "softly softly" approach by telephone, pleading with the man, a German national, to come out or at least to allow his mother leave the single storey building, so that she could receive medical attention.
Garda sources said that although the man had appeared very volatile during yesterday afternoon, the situation had calmed during the evening. "But it's still a very dangerous situation," said one officer.
The man is believed to have a television and radio in the house and last night Supt P.J. Browne of Ballyconnell Garda station, made a further public appeal to him to give himself up. "We're going to negotiate and take as long as is necessary for to persuade the gentleman in the house to come out safely," he said.
Gardai said yesterday that they had not expected trouble when they arrived at the house and while they knew the man had a legally owned shotgun, they had not been aware of the rifle. There were indications that the man may also be armed with a pistol.
When he walked outside the house during the afternoon he was seen to have a pair of binoculars around his neck and to be carrying what appeared to be a handgun.
The man has claimed that his mother - in her 70s - was dying of cancer and during negotiations throughout the afternoon, the man's only demand was that the two be allowed to continue to live at the house.
At 4.30 pm. Supt Browne made a public appeal through the media for the man to give himself up. "We want to help him to help himself and to help his mother, so that we can gel medical attention to her," he said.
"We're confident we can help her and we have an ambulance standing by to take her to hospital."
Supt Browne said the man had acted "totally out of character". He had never been in trouble with the Garda before.
During the afternoon Telecom engineers were brought in by gardai. It is understood they were to isolate the line to the house so that the man could speak only with the specially trained negotiators, Del Supt Bill Somers and Insp Tighe Foley.
A neighbour, Mr Michael Baxter, said the man had little involvement with the local community since he moved to the area about three years ago. The man, who is "very fit and athletic, and over six foot tall", would go shopping at the village two or three times a week but otherwise keep to himself, and was never seen at the local pub.
A local shopkeeper said he was a courteous" man but rarely engaged in conversation, and that he appeared not to socialise with the other German nationals who live in the area.
A local auctioneer, Mr Kevin McCaffrey, said last night that sheriff's officers had visited the house on Tuesday and he thought the man had agreed to leave the building at that stage.
Mr McCaffrey who is selling the house on behalf of the landlord, said he had spoken to the man on several occasions since he put a "for sale" sign on the property about three months ago.
Mr McCaffrey said the man had always been friendly to him but that other locals had heard him say that he would not "go easily".
Mr McCaffrey is seeking £56,000 for the 40 acre property.