The victim, named locally as Nicole O’Donnell Morey, 23, from Limerick City, who was living on the outskirts of the village of Fedamore, Co Limerick, died at the scene of the vicious animal attack at her home
A woman killed by her dogs on her birthday treated the animals "like her own babies", according to her heartbroken family.
Nicole O’Donnell Morey, 23, from Limerick City, was living on the outskirts of the village of Fedamore, Co Limerick, died following the ferocious animal attack at her home.
Ms Morey was celebrating her birthday when she was mauled at the front door. Gardai were alerted and armed officers shot one of the dogs dead and took control of the other three.
Anthony O'Donnell, 58, Ms Morey's granduncle Anthony O'Donnell, 58, said he was contacted by distraught family members telling him the devastating news. “She was out for her birthday, she was 23, and, she went home, opened the hall door to go in home when the dog attacked her, jumped out on top of her and attacked her,” Mr O’Donnell said.
“By the time the Gardai got there, they (the dogs) were mauling her, the gardai couldn’t really get them off of her, they had to shoot the dog to get him off of her, that’s what I’m hearing from family members that are ringing me,” he told the Irish Mirror.
Paying tribute, Mr O’Donnell described his grandniece as “a lovely girl, with a great heart, would do you a good turn rather than any turn. She was a decent girl, quiet, she kept to herself.”
Mr O’Donnell said: “There’s two young girls here and they know her and they said she used to treat them (the dogs) like babies,” he said. "They said she used to have Snapchats up and Facebook (posts) with the dogs inside in bed with her, that they were like her children.
“I said to them this morning it just goes to show you can't trust dogs. You can't trust any dog, but especially those dogs - they are bred to kill.”
It’s reported the dog that killed Ms Morey was a American XL Bully, however Gardai had not disclosed what type of dogs were involved. Ms Morey died at the scene of the attack despite the best efforts of paramedics who treated her there.
Her body was removed to University Hospital Limerick where a post mortem was to be carried out. Family friend, Fr Richard Davern, led prayers at St Mary’s Church, Athlunkard, Limerick, in memory of the deceased.
“We prayed for the poor woman at mass this morning, I buried her grandfather Pa O’Donnell only last February, they are a lovely family from St Mary’s Park,” Fr Davern said.
The Limerick parish priest said the family were well known in community and sporting circles, and that Ms Morey’s granduncle, Anthony O’Donnell, was awarded the title of Community Volunteer of the Year at the All-Ireland Community and Council Awards, held last March.
“There are no words to really describe the absolute horror of this. God love them,” Fr Davern said. “Everyone is just shocked, it’s horrific, absolutely horrific,” he continued. “I spoke to one of her former school teachers this morning and they said (Nicole) had a lovely personality.
“They said she had ambitions to go back to college and train as an SNA (Special Needs Assistant) and into education, so she had ambitions, the poor girl, god love her, and god love all the first responders and emergency services worker who came upon it and have to deal with the fallout of it.”
Gardai combed areas outside and inside the house today. Local Gardai had sealed off an entrance gate at the house, as well as access to a small road running alongside the property. The large two-storey house, located on a country road between the villages of Ballyneety and Fedamore, is about 18km from Limerick City.
Locals in the idyllic rural hinterland which was plunged into a nightmare also expressed their “shock”. Gardai issued a media alert asking people not to engage in sharing a video linked to the fatal incident with others online.
“An Garda Síochána is aware of footage of this incident in circulation and out of respect for the deceased, would ask the public and the media not to share these videos,” read a notice from the Garda Press Office.
