Ronans are safe as Tiger kidnap fails
A MASSIVE manhunt was underway in the city and county last night for an armed gang which held the family of one of Kilkenny's best loved sportsmen captive yesterday (Tuesday).
Luckily, Mary Ronan, wife of all Ireland winning hurler, Adrian Ronan, was released without physical harm at the disused weather station on the city's Granges Road at around 2pm yesterday, bringing to an end the most traumatic eight hours of the couple's lives.
The ransom demand is understood to have reached 3 million euro.
The drama started at 6.15am under the cover of darkness when the gang forced their way into the family home at Dama, just 500 yards from Smith's Cross at Ballyhendricken, out past Kilcreene Hospital.
After threatening Mr Ronan, they took Mrs Ronan away in a car. She did not panic because she was worried about how the children would react.
That left a stunned and upset Mr Ronan in the home with the couple's three children, Tommy, Lauren and Tara, all under 10 years of age.
The gang forced Mr Ronan to give them his mobile phone number and later in the morning, after receiving instructions, he went with the children to the Parliament Street branch of the Bank of Ireland in Kilkenny city.
It is known that a significant sum of money was put aside by the bank to pay over the ransom.
The gang phoned him and Mr Ronan presumed it was to find out where he was to drop-off the cash but instead told him the amount wasn't enough and they asked for even more money. They did not make contact again.
Supt John Gilligan of the Garda Press Office who conducted a press conference at Kilkenny garda station at 5pm yesterday would not give specific details of what happened when contact was made with gardai by the bank.
He said he would not discuss the protocol involved and agreed with financial institutions because it might hinder the operation as it was an ongoing investigation. It is clear the gardfai played a major role in ensuring the 'tiger kidnapping' failed.
The Kilkenny People understands that Mr Ronan was told by the gang that his wife Mary would be shot unless he co-operated. He knew they were serious because they brandished a hand gun when they entered the family's bungalow earlier that morning.
Gardai want to try and find out where Mrs Ronan was kept until she was released on the Granges Road at around 1.40pm yesterday (Tuesday).
Officers at Kilkenny feel there is a significant amount of information to be gained from local people. They have set up a special incident room at the station on Dominic Street and there is a direct line: 0567775070.
Supt Gilligan asks anyone who saw anything suspicious around the city or in the Ballycallan-Kilcreene area or on the back roads which come down to the Dunningstown and Granges Road (where the weather staion is situated) to contact them in the strictest confidence.
"It might be something insignificant at the Granges road, at the home in Dama or near the bank on Parliament Street, " Supt Gilligan said.
He asked local people to come forward if they were aware of strangers or anything out of the ordinary between 5.30am and 1.40pm yesterday. "This time of year there aren't too many visitors so something might have caught your attention," he added.
He did say that at 2.30pm yesterday, the family were re-united and that they are being comforted by friends and family and are not staying at the family home.
Gardai said they did not yet have any descriptions but that liaison officers would be working with the family to get the full details of what happened. They could not say what accents they had or what kind of vehicles they used.
As part of the investigation officers will be viewing all CCTV footage from around the bank and from cameras at strategic entrances and exits to the city.
Before 6pm last night, gardai removed Adrian Ronan's car from the the back of the Bank of Ireland at the Market Yard for forensic examination. It is thought the raiders may have been in the car with him for a short period yesterday morning when they were giving him instructions and threatening him and his family.
This morning (Wednesday), detectives from Kilkenny and members of the serious crime squad will meet with Bank of Ireland officials to review the situation. In the meantime searches of a number of areas continues and road blaocks are in place.
The Kilkenny People made no effort to contact Mr Ronan or his family and has asked that their privacy be respected.
Mr Ronan first came to prominence as part of the great St Kieran's College hurling team that won two All Ireland senior crown in the late.eighties Also on that team in 1988 were DJ Carey, Charlie Carter and Pat O'Neill which won the All Ireland minor championship.
He also won under 21 and senior medals with the county and won a senior county championship with his club, Graigue-Ballycallan. An ace forward at the end of his career he played in goals. He was very much in demand as a coach and enjoyed many successes most notably with Danesfort three seasons ago when they won the All Ireland club junior championship.
He is equally well known for his charming and bubbly personality, always in good form. His wife Mary worked for many years in Sherwood's electrical on High Street and later at Electro City - again a hugely popular person with the Grague-Ballycallan area. The couple are devoted to each other and to their three children.
For more on this story, see this week's Kilkenny People.
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Weather for Kilkenny
Monday 21 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South
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