A 27-year-old man from Ballymun is recovering in hospital after undergoing surgery to reattach one of his hands, which was severed in a sword attack in a Dublin pub on Sunday night.
However, it is believed that although the operation had gone according to plan, it would take some time before its success or otherwise would be known.
An eyewitness to the attack, which occurred in Finglas on Sunday night, told gardaí that the victim's hand "fell to the ground like a glove" after it was cut off when one of his attackers swung a samurai sword at him.
Up to 60 people were in the pub, with many witnessing what happened. The incident is the latest in a number of serious assaults involving samurai swords, which are mainly sold as ceremonial items to martial arts enthusiasts.
The emergency services were summoned to the Deputy Mayor Pub, Meakestown, Finglas, immediately the attack happened at 9.15pm. The man's hand was put in ice in the pub.
The victim was rushed by ambulance to the Mater hospital before being transferred to St James's Hospital, where he underwent 11 hours of surgery through the night.
Gardaí believe the attack was linked to a verbal altercation in the pub between the victim and the two men who attacked him. After the exchange the two men left the pub and came back about 20 to 30 minutes later.
One of the men was armed with the sword while his accomplice had a hammer. The victim was first hit with the hammer a number of times in the upper body. He stood up from his seat as he was being hit, at which point gardaí believe the other man swung the sword at him, cutting his left hand from his arm.
Neither attacker was masked but both wore hoods.
A few of the people the victim was socialising with attempted to stop the men and staff at the pub also became involved.
During the course of the scuffle both attackers' hoods were pulled down and their faces are believed to have been captured on CCTV. Gardaí were last night waiting to view that footage.
The two attackers left the pub immediately. A short time later a man driving a van was stopped by a uniformed Garda patrol in Finglas. Gardaí found the sword and hammer believed to have been used in the attack in the vehicle. The driver, a 33-year-old from Blanchardstown, was arrested and taken to Finglas Garda station where he was still being held last night. He is expected to appear before the courts as early as this morning.
Gardaí in Finglas believe they know the identity of the other attacker and were actively seeking him last night.
Both of the suspected attackers are known to gardaí for their involvement in the drugs trade. However, Garda sources said it was unclear if the incident was drugs related.
The injured man has a number of road traffic convictions but he is not a known criminal.
A spokeswoman for St James's Hospital last night said he was in a stable condition, and was in recovery in intensive care.