In a complicated family feud over inheritance in West Cork, inquiries are still underway by the local law enforcement involving two family members. The feud took a violent turn, leading to serious injuries to two other relatives. The heated altercation happened at the family’s farm, approximately four kilometres away from Dunmanway, around 7pm last Saturday.
The root cause of the quarrel revolves around the inheritance left by the father, involving a farmhouse and an adjoining yard. The will bequeaths the property to two sons whilst the adjacent yard and sheds are for all three sons. This led to a rift between the two beneficiaries and the third son. The escalated dispute saw one faction lock the access gate, only to be cut by the opposing faction using an implement to gain entry.
Reliable police sources recount how the situation escalated dramatically on Saturday evening. One party attacked the other while they attempted to free the locked gate, with one of the siblings resorting to using a knife against his two brothers. One brother suffered a severed artery and required airlifting to Cork University Hospital (CUH), whilst the other got his lung punctured and was transported to CUH by ambulance.
Emergency surgery had to be carried out on both injured parties at the CUH the same night. Although both are in a serious condition, sources within the police force confirm that both victims were stable on Sunday morning, and no longer in fatal danger.
Local authorities, having been alerted to the situation, detained one of the brothers and his septuagenarian father at the scene and brought them in for questioning around the incident. Both suspects were transported to Bandon police station for interviewing by detectives.
The two detainees were apprehended under the Criminal Justice Act’s Section 4, permitting law enforcement to hold suspects for a 24-hour duration prior to mandatory charging or release. Interrogations were put on hold overnight and set to continue the following day.
Authorities cordoned off the farmyard where the attack transpired and initiated a thorough investigation of the premises. A knife was recovered from the scene and has been sent out for a forensic review.