Man held over incident which left woman sightless in eye

A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of assault causing harm in relation to an incident in which a woman lost the sight in one eye in Co Offaly earlier this month.

Gardai arrested the 18-year-old man in Birr this morning.

The man is being detained at Birr Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act where he can be held for up to 24 hours.

He is being questioned in connection with an incident at the Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival on Sunday, August 4th.

Marie Gauvin (58) was blinded in her right eye when a glass was thrown in her direction at an area known locally as Keel’s Archway at 11pm.

She also suffered a fracture to her eye socket and underwent surgery at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin after the incident.

The Birr native, who was holidaying in Ireland, has since returned to Canada where she has lived for most of her life.