Ireland’s military authorities are investigating the stabbing of a Catholic chaplain as a possible terrorist attack, according to local media reports on Friday.
Fr Paul Murphy was reportedly stabbed several times on Thursday outside Renmore military barracks in the coastal city of Galway.
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The 50-year-old priest suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries from the attack and was taken to nearby Galway University Hospital for treatment.
A 16-year-old boy was reportedly arrested in connection with the attack.
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said on X on Friday that he had been “informed about the shocking incident outside Renmore Barracks last night and my thoughts are with the member of the defense forces in hospital.”
“I want to thank the defense forces personnel and the Gardai (Irish police) for their action and response,” the Prime Minister said.
I have been briefed on the shocking incident outside Renmore Barracks last night & my thoughts are with the member of the defence forces in hospital. I want to thank defence forces personnel & Gardai for their action and response.
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) August 16, 2024
The Irish Independent, for its part, reported that the incident is being investigated as a possible terrorist attack.
Irish police “are trying to establish whether there was a terrorist link” to the attack, reported on Friday the local media outlet.
Police “are investigating whether the teenager may have made comments at the scene of the stabbing about Irish military involvement in the Middle East before officers took him away,” The Independent said.
The Bishop of Galway, Bishop Michael Duignan, said in a statement this Friday that the news was “deeply shocking and disturbing.”
“I pray for the injured man, asking God for his full recovery,” the bishop said. “I also pray for his family, for his army colleagues and for the medical personnel who are treating his wounds at this time.”
Meanwhile, in a publication held this Friday on Facebook, Fr. Murphy thanked people “for their prayers, love and concern.”
“I regret not being able to respond to all the messages and answer all the calls that come to me,” the priest wrote. “I’m fine; “Waiting for surgery.”
“Everything is going to be fine,” he added.
This is a developing story.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Daniel Payne
Daniel Payne is senior editor at Catholic News Agency. He previously worked on College Fix and Just the News. He lives in Virginia with his family.