Attack victim Tom Niland asked "how am I ever going to go home" before he went into critical condition, his family have revealed.
The brutal aggravated burglary and attack against the pensioner, 73, at his home in Skreen, Co Sligo has shocked the country, and sparked a manhunt for the three masked thugs responsible - while the beloved farmer continues to fight for his life in hospital.
And speaking to us, Michael Walsh, a cousin of Tom Niland, whom he said he regards as a brother, revealed the last conversations he had with him in his hospital bed - before he was taken into intensive care on Friday.
“We were all very hopeful. He was so confused. He knew what had happened to him, but he couldn’t really give us too much detail,” Michael said.
“But he was asking us ‘have they had any luck finding them [the burglars].
“He was asking about his health, his car and a few things like that. He even said how am I going to go home again?
“I assured him that the chances are that that will never happen to him again and we’ll make sure that his house is secure with everything in place for him.
“We gave him a bit of encouragement but he kept slipping back into this fear of returning there,” he said.
Michael said Tom’s condition remained critical on Monday, and that tragically, he doesn’t expect it to improve - though the family are "hoping for a miracle".
“There’s no change in Tom. I’m on my way to the hospital to see him. I don’t think there will be any change to be honest with you, any change for the good anyway,” he said.
“They are doing a lot of tests on him now as to his response and so on, and some of them are not too clear. They are bringing in other doctors to see if there’s anything left.
“It’s inconclusive at the moment. We’re just hoping for something like a miracle, and that he’d come around,” he said.
And as gardai continue to hunt for those responsible, Michael revealed that officers have found Tom’s wallet - seven miles from his home - giving some clue as to the direction the attackers fled on the night of January 28.
He also revealed that investigators are currently searching for Tom’s phone, with hopes it too, could have been ditched nearby.
“There is a search ongoing for it, near where they found his wallet. It was about seven miles away from the house, so we kind of know the direction that these people went, and it was confirmed that it was his wallet,” Michael said.
And in a direct appeal to those responsible - a devastated Michael called on them to examine their conscience - and come forward.
“Some of them surely must have some compassion, you know, that you’d think they would have seen the result of what they’ve done.
“If they’ve any hearts at all you know to come forward and put their hands up and say look, yeah we did this and we never thought it would go this far,” he said.
“I don’t know though. I mean we know they probably don’t have any heart anyway and they’ll probably do it again and get away with it.”
Revealing the callousness of the attack his cousin suffered, he added: “The way they kicked that man and stamped on his head, you know it’s vile, it’s beyond, animals wouldn’t do it. It’s disgusting what they did.”
Michael said what happened to his cousin is occurring across the country - and affects more people than any other crime.
“This is constantly going on in the country and far more people are being affected by this than anything else.”
“It’s extremely frustrating. People are outraged at this, and it’s an ongoing thing, it’s not just isolated, it’s been going on in the country for a long time.
“Naturally when it comes to your own door too you see first hand the effect it has on people.
“I know the guards, it’s got nothing to do with their effort, because they are incredible in what they’re doing and they have brought me in on a couple of occasions and gave me a couple of hours in the station and explained their procedures and everything they’re doing.
“It’s overwhelming what they’re doing. And still, having no luck.”
Michael also told of just how close he is to Tom - as the well known farmer had no siblings or children of his own - and he said he was like a sibling to him.
“We are very close. See Tom has no siblings. He has no brothers or sisters.
So we interacted with him on nearly the same level.
“That’s how we regard him,” he said.
And he told how in the immediate aftermath of the attack the family were hopeful - but in particular, brain damage caused his cousin’s condition to deteriorate in recent days.
“There was a lot of progress, but the swelling continued to his head. It was grotesque.
“The brain, the pressure on the brain and the brain damage. He was able to talk and I brought my phone in because he wanted to talk and people wanted to talk to him.
“It was great to see and we thought there was progress being made, and then all of a sudden it just reached its limit and he took a bad turn and that was it. He hasn’t come back really since,” he said.
The heartbroken family member added that he hopes gardai will solve the case, and justice is served.
“They had the forensic team out there constantly and a large team. I know there were 30 gardai including detectives on it.
“I know it seems like a lot of work. There’s still a lot of detectives on it. They are extremely determined.
“I don’t think they’re ever going to lay it off,” he said.
In a lengthy statement released through the garda press office, gardai named the victim as Thomas Niland, describing him as “a 73-year-old bachelor” who was at home watching TV when the attackers knocked at his door.
“Tom answered a knock to his front door and was immediately and viciously assaulted and a small sum of money was stolen.
“The culprits left Tom with serious head and upper body injuries,” the statement read.
Gardai went on to state that despite his serious injuries, Tom “managed to crawl from his home and alert passing motorists.
Gardai were then alerted by his neighbors and Tom was transferred to Sligo University Hospital, where he was last night described as being in a critical condition on life support.
The Garda statement added that it is believed that the attackers arrived in a car, which reversed into the driveway of Tom’s house.
“It is not known at this time if any person remained in the car during the course of the attack,” they added.
“A Garda family liaison officer was appointed to Tom’s family immediately after the incident & An Garda Síochána continues to support his family at this time throughout their ordeal.”
Officers say a “large scale” criminal investigation has since been launched, and it is operating from an incident room at Sligo Garda Station, where they say a Senior investigating officer has been appointed along with a team of detectives and gardai.
Gardai have conducted checkpoints and house to house enquiries and say they have already obtained some information in the course of the investigation.
“Hours” of CCTV footage has also been obtained and gardai say they have taken a number of statements and developed several lines of enquiry to date.
Forensic officers have also combed the scene.
“An Garda Siochana continues and will continue investigating all the circumstances relating to this aggravated burglary during which Tom was assaulted. No stone will be left unturned,” they said.
“Gardai are appealing for any person with any information on this vicious and cowardly aggravated burglary and assault on Tom to contact us immediately.”
Superintendent Mandy Gaynor of Sligo Garda Station added: “There are people out there who know who was involved in this aggravated burglary and serious assault on an elderly man in his home.
“Thomas Niland and his family deserve to have these criminals who carried out this heartless act brought to Justice.”
It is understood the well known local farmer tried to fight off masked men who forced their way into his home in Skreen, where they brutally beat him as they demanded money.
As part of their appeal gardai say they’re asking for anyone who was driving along the N59 (Sligo/ Ballina Road), in the Skreen area, on Tuesday 18th January between 4pm – 8pm, who may have dashcam or any other video footage to contact investigating Gardaí.
Gardai are also appealing for any person, who noticed any activity by persons or vehicles which drew their attention, in the wider N59 Skreen locality to contact Gardaí with that information, whether you think it is related to this investigation or not.
If you have any information on this callous and cowardly crime please contact Sligo Garda Station on 071 915 7000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.”
