Victim of shooting in serious condition

A 25-year-old man was seriously injured when he was shot at a house in Fortlawn Park, Blanchardstown, at 5.30am yesterday.

A man called to the house and shot his victim in the neck before escaping on a motorcycle.

Shortly afterwards, a Garda unit found a motorcycle on fire at Sheepmore Grove.

Last night the scene of the shooting at Fortlawn Park was sealed off for technical examination. The motorcycle was also being examined.

The injured man was taken by ambulance to Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown, where his condition was last night described as critical. Gardaí at Blanchardstown have appealed for witnesses to contact them on 01-6667000.

Another shooting took place at a house in Clondalkin on Saturday night. A single shot was fired through a front downstairs window of a house at Oldchurch Crescent shortly before midnight. There were five people in the house at the time, but no one was injured.

Gardaí from the forensic branch sealed off the house and a technical examination was carried out. Gardaí in Clondalkin have appealed for witnesses.

A petrol bomb attack in Limerick city early yesterday morning is also being investigated.

The bomb was thrown at a house on Byrne Avenue, Prospect, shortly before 4am. A mother and her child escaped unhurt.

Meanwhile, a man is to appear in court this morning in connection with a knife attack on a journalist earlier this month.

Maireád O'Dwyer (27) was on her way home to Rialto, Dublin, after a night out when she was set upon and stabbed in the neck.

She was attacked in the Ave Marie/Lourdes Road area, metres from her home, at about 3am on May 19th.

She underwent major surgery at St James's hospital and was in a critical condition.

Ms O'Dwyer, a researcher on the Seán Moncrieff Show with Newstalk 106-108FM, is originally from Clonmel, Co Tipperary. She had been out with colleagues in a city nightclub.

The man (21) being charged in connection with the assault is originally from Poland.

He was arrested by detectives last Friday and detained for questioning at Kevin Street Garda station.

He will appear at Kilmainham District Court at 10.30am this morning, when he will be formally charged.