A pensioner has died after allegedly being attacked with an axe while at her sister-in-law's 75th birthday tea party.
Patricia Muckian was seriously injured following the incident at her home in the Glenwood estate in Dundalk, Co. Louth in Ireland, on May 3.
The 81-year-old suffered severe head trauma while having tea and cake with her sister-in-law Mairead and her niece Maria - who were both injured during the attack.
Muckian passed away in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin after initially being treated at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.
Patricia Muckian was seriously injured following the incident at her home in the Glenwood estate in Dundalk, Co. Louth in Ireland, on May 3
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"Gardaí investigating the serious assault in Glenwood Estate, Dundalk on the afternoon of Friday, May 3 can confirm that one woman who was seriously injured in the assault has passed away," a spokesperson told Sunday World.
Nicholas Muckian appeared in court in relation to the incident after being charged with three counts of assault causing harm at the same location.
The Muckian family have reportedly lived in the area for nearly 50 years.
Many locals said the family is considered "pillars of the community".
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One neighbour said: "Mairead is a lovely woman. And her sister-in-law, the lady who was badly injured, would often come up there visiting her.
"Mairead is always out doing her garden and she'd always have a hello for everyone.
"Her daughter Maria is lovely too and she'd often be up for a visit."
Local political representative Ruairí Ó Murchú added: "This is absolutely shocking for the community and it's obviously devastating for the family.
The pensioner passed away in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin after initially being treated at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda
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"Our hearts go out to them. We've had three women injured.
"I spoke to the Gardaí earlier and the first thing they said to me was that they wanted to commend the local community for the way they reacted.
"And you'd also have to commend the front-line responders and those in the hospitals for everything they did in the aftermath also."
