Gardaí are investigating an armed robbery and fire at a north Dublin pub last night.
A group of four men, one armed with a gun, entered the Players Lounge in Fairview at about 2am.
They tied up the manager of the pub and took what is understood to be a significant sum of cash.
Two fires were started shortly afterwards, and the premises was evacuated.
A number of units from Dublin Fire Brigade extinguished the fire which a Garda spokesman said caused extensive damage to the pub. No injuries have been reported.
The pub’s owner, John Stokes, was charged in May over allegations that he threatened a business rival.
Mr Stokes (54) appeared before a special sitting of Dublin District Court where he was accused of ordering another publican, with menace, to cease trading within 24 hours.
It is not known whether he was in the bar when the robbery took place.
Earlier this year, Mr Stokes - who is the father of Celtic player Anthony Stokes - was ordered by to remove a banner barring Queen Elizabeth from his pub during May’s historic State visit.
Anyone who was in the Fairview Strand area between 2am and 3am and noticed anything suspicious is asked to contact Clontarf Garda station on (01) 6664800 and the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666111.