A 93-year-old shop owner who was robbed by four armed thugs has said: “I forgive those people who did it.”
Determined business owner Una Farrell was back behind the counter yesterday of Farrell’s Mini Market in Ballintubber, Co Roscommon, serving customers despite her terrifying ordeal.
The twisted thieves tied up two of the elderly woman’s sons John and Seamus before making off with cash, cigarettes, and some of her sentimental jewellery in the burglary which took place in the early hours of Monday.
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Speaking from behind the counter, Una told The Irish Mirror: “I’m grand … well as a good as can be expected. I’m coping. I forgive those people who did it. I hope it never happens to anybody else.”
Una, who turns 94 on Monday, said the raid was “very frightening”. When asked why she was working so soon after such a traumatic incident, she replied: “Sure that’s what you do when you’re able to do it.”
Una said four thugs wearing balaclavas and armed with screwdrivers broke into their house, which is joined onto Farrell’s Mini Market.
Reliving the horrific incident, she said: “They tied John and they tied Seamus. They were all bundled into my room and they made them lie back and they tied them and told them not to move.
“They ransacked the house. It went on for the best part of three-quarters of an hour. We’re back for business though.”
Farrell’s Mini Market opened in 1961. Una has worked in shops since the 1940s.
The Irish Mirror understands the brazen gang even began to mock Una during the robbery by asking her if she wanted a cup of tea or coffee.
A source close to the family said it was “traumatic” what they went through but stressed that “they’re all doing good”.
The source said: “Seamus doesn’t live in Roscommon and was only visiting when the burglary took place.
“They stole a good bit. Some cash, cigarettes, and some of Una’s jewellery. The shop is in a very rural and isolated area. The thieves must have known what they were doing. The family isn’t sure if they were being watched or not.”
The thieves are understood to have come through the back door of the property.
The source continued: “They threatened to kill Seamus and John if they weren’t quiet. The thieves were roaring and shouting in the house. John was kicked in the back.
“They completely ransacked the house. Una was in bed while her two sons were tied up on the floor.
“It’s absolutely traumatising. There never used to be crime in Ballintubber. The guards have their lines of inquiry but it’s unlikely that any of the stolen items will be recovered.”
It comes as Eileen Kenny, who owns Kenny’s Shop located just minutes from Farrell’s Mini Market, said she was robbed by a burglary gang in a similar fashion earlier this year.
Eileen, who co-owns the shop and Kenney’s Bar with her brother James, told The Irish Mirror: “Our sympathies are with the Farrell family after their experience. The whole community is in a state of shock.
“I can’t believe that once again this happened. It happened us here in Kennys. My brother James was first to come in that morning and the place was ransacked and the doors were smashed down.
“The cigarette machine had been dragged out. The whole place had been ransacked. All the CCTV wires had been cut.”
Eileen continued: “So when I heard that it happened again it brought back all memories. It’s just horrendous something is going to have to be done for the rural towns and villages.
“Some justice is going to have to be done to save us in our own houses and in our businesses. It’s very traumatic.
“We’re a very hard-working and tight-knit community. It’s terrifying the community and especially the elderly people.
“I meet them every day in the bar and the shop. They’re all just petrified. Something is going to have to be done.”
Meanwhile, Roscommon councillor Anthony Waldron said the community are shocked and angry at what happened.
He called for mandatory sentences to be imposed on people found guilty of committing burglaries.
Mr Waldron continued: “Locals are in total shock. They’re angry that those types of people are on our streets.
“There is no place in society for those thugs who behave in such a way against hard-working decent people.
“Farrell’s Mini Market provides a wonderful service to the local community. They have been doing so for generations.
“Our local Garda Station was closed a couple of years. People in Dublin are making decisions which affect rural Ireland.”
Meanwhile, resident Patsy McCahill said: “I’m shocked at what happened, it’s usually a quiet area. There’s never much crime.
“It’s terrible, it’s hard to believe that such a thing has happened. I’ve used the shop every day for the last 40 years.
“I just hope it’s a once-off thing but the world has gotten a lot more violent.”
Parish priest Fr Pat O’Toole said: “Una is a very kind person. The shop is a great help to a lot of people. She keeps it well stocked.”
A Garda spokesman said: “Gardai in Castlerea are appealing for witnesses following an aggravated burglary at a premises in Ballintubber, Co Roscommon, that occurred in the early hours of Monday morning, August 22 2022.
“The incident occurred at a
business premises in the Ashpark area of Ballintubber, Co Roscommon, when a number of males entered the
premises.
“One man (aged in his 60s) was injured during the incident. He did not require medical attention and his injuries are non-life threatening.
“The suspected offenders fled the scene with a sum of cash.”
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