Pensioner who cycled 30 miles in terror has never returned home

A PENSIONER living in isolation fled his home in terror, cycling 30 miles in darkness in fear of thieves who had vowed to rob him a third time.

Bachelor Michael McMahon (68) packed up his few belongings and abandoned his home in rural Cree near Doonbeg, West Clare, after being terrorised by thugs.

He set off on his bike to cycle the eight hours to Ennis where he checked himself into a nursing home.

In a terrifying ordeal, robbers had taken a substantial sum of money from him on two separate occasions - using the metal rung of a fence in the guise of a gun - and threatened to come back for €50,000.

Mr McMahon lived alone in a remote location two miles from the village of Cooraclare in a house without electricity or running water.

However, since the attack two years ago, Mr McMahon has been too frightened to return home and has been living in a nursing home ever since, despite good health.

He had received an inheritance from a relative in America and had been in the habit of visiting his bank in Kilrush two or three times a year to withdraw €3,000 in cash.

He would live on that for three to five months, storing the money in jars at his home.

At 10pm on February 21, 2012, Mr McMahon heard banging outside his home and could see three torches in the darkness outside.

The gang smashed three windows of Mr McMahon's home and he saw three hooded people outside who demanded €500.

In a state of "absolute fear" he handed them three jars containing roughly €4,000 in cash.

One of the robbers told Mr McMahon: "No gardai. We won't be back. We won't get mad."

Afterwards, Mr McMahon felt weak and fearful but made no complaint to gardai.

The following day, he went to the AIB in Kilrush to withdraw €3,000 from his bank account since he had no cash left in the house, and blocked up the broken windows with blocks and turf.

But four nights later on February 25, the robbers returned. Removing blocks from one of his broken windows, they pushed through the rung of a gate, resembling a gun.

SOURCE-IRISH INDEPENDENT