Gardaí investigating a reported shooting incident in west Cork on Monday night are awaiting the results of ballistic and forensic tests on a rifle which they confiscated after a man was injured.
Mr Chris Farrell (50), a father of five from Schull, suffered injuries to his head when he was beaten around the face by a man armed with a .22 rifle when he called to the man's home at Toormore near Schull.
Mr Farrell had called to discuss an incident involving him and his son, Michael (18).
Gardaí are investigating reports that the owner of the house ordered Mr Farrell off his property and discharged a shot at him as he was getting up off the ground and that a bullet grazed the side of his head. They are also investigating reports that the owner of the property discharged a second shot as Mr Farrell and his son were leaving the property.
Mr Farrell reported the matter at Schull Garda station before going to Bantry general hospital where he was treated for his injuries. He was detained overnight and discharged yesterday afternoon.
Local gardaí backed up by armed detectives surrounded the house before making contact by phone with the 48-year-old occupant and persuaded him to surrender his legally-held firearm. They confiscated the weapon and yesterday sent it for ballistic analysis. Swabs were also taken from Mr Farrell in Bantry hospital to establish if his head injury was caused by a gunshot.
Gardaí have received a number of complaints in recent weeks about the 48-year-old man engaging in anti-social behaviour around Schull village.
Mr Farrell is the husband of a former Schull shopkeeper, Ms Marie Farrell, who was a central witness in the libel action brought by English journalist Mr Ian Bailey over newspaper coverage linking him to the murder of French film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier.
Ms Toscan du Plantier's badly-beaten body was found near the entrance to her remote property on December 23rd, 1996, but gardaí have ruled out any link between her unsolved murder and the incident in Toormore.
