A 93-year-old woman who was terrorised in an aggravated burglary at her home in Ballintubber on Monday has already reopened her shop.

Una Farrell told Newstalk four masked men broke into her home in the early hours of the morning.

Her home sits above her newsagent shop and the attackers locked her in a room with her two adult sons while they ‘ransacked’ the place.

They eventually made off with a sum of cash, cigarettes and some jewellery.

Una, who is just days short of her 94th birthday, said she was “a bit traumatised” by the home invasion but was determined to reopen the shop and get back to work.

'Cowards'

She branded the attackers “filth” and “cowards” and said she is refusing to live in fear or to go out of business on their account.

Asked how much the attackers made off with she said: “They got enough. We will notice it anyway.”

One of her sons, aged in his 60s, received minor injuries in the attack, hurting his ribs when he was thrown to the ground.

Shop

Una’s shop, on the outskirts of the Roscommon town, has been open for 65 years with just one other incident throughout that time.

Asked whether she expected to see the attackers brought to justice, Una said: “Of course they’ll not be caught. Nobody’s ever caught [for this type of thing].

Newstalk reporter Barry Whyte has spent the day in Ballintubber talking to locals about the shocking attack.

On The Hard Shoulder this evening, he’ll be talking to the owner of a shop just down the road that was burgled a few months ago.

Ballintubber

Castlerea Gardaí have launched an investigation into the attack, but no arrests have been made as of yet.

Investigators are keen to speak with anyone who was in Ash Park, Ballintubber, between 10pm Sunday and 1am Monday.

They are particularly interested in talking to drivers who were in the area and may have dash-cam footage.

Main image shows Farrell’s shop in Ballintubber which has reopened after an aggravated burglary. Image: Barry Whyte/Newstalk