Man fighting for his life in Cork following hammer attack

Gardaí investigating a hammer attack which has left a 29-year-old man fighting for his life in hospital have begun harvesting CCTV footage in the hope it will help them identify the man’s attacker.

The victim was attacked and beaten at his home in McCurtain Villas on Cork city's southside at around 4pm on Saturday when an intruder is understood to have broke into the house.

The intruder surprised the man and began hitting him on the head with a hammer, knocking him to the floor, and also injured the man’s 65-year-old mother when she tried to protect her son.

The injured man was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for serious head injuries on Saturday and remains in a critical but stable condition today.

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The man’s mother is continuing to receive treatment in hospital on Sunday and gardaí are hoping to be given permission by doctors to speak to her to see if she can help identify the intruder.

It is believed the intruder was masked but gardaí have begun harvesting CCTV footage from the McCurtain Villas, Wycherley Terrace, College Road and Bandon Road area in an attempt to identify the culprit.

Gardaí have also appealed to any motorists who were in the McCurtain Villas, College Road, Bandon Road or Gillabbey Street area at the time and have dash cam footage to contact them.

Gardaí cordoned off the scene of the attack and garda technical experts have begun a forensic examination in the hope of recovering DNA evidence.

Investigators say they are keeping an open mind on a motive for the attack which has shocked the local community. The location is near University College Cork and less than 15 minutes walk from the city centre.

Anyone with any information that can assist gardaí is asked to contact Anglesea Garda station on 021 452 2000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.