Innocent family who ‘lost everything' after criminals firebombed wrong house appeal for help
'This attack wasn't meant for us but we are now living with the devastating consequences'
The family lost everything in the incident
The aftermath of the attack on the house
An innocent family who almost lost their lives after reckless criminals firebombed the wrong house as part of an escalating Dublin feud have appealed for help.
It had been reported that two people were hospitalised and a family dog killed when the home was targeted in an early morning attack in Ballyfermot, causing extensive damage.
According to a GoFundMe appeal set up to help the family 'rebuild after a devastating attack', the incident has 'devastating consequences'.
'In the early hours of last week, at about 2.20am, my family's home was destroyed in a horrific and senseless act of violence,' the appeal reads.
'A firebomb was thrown through the window in what has been confirmed as a case of mistaken identity. This attack wasn't meant for us but we are now living with the devastating consequences.'
The organiser reveals that his dad was asleep on the couch when the firebomb came through the window.
'If he hadn't been there to wake up and raise the alarm, my mother and my brother would likely have died in the fire. That thought haunts us.
The house was engulfed in flames. They lost everything. Most heartbreakingly, our beloved dog Zach perished in the fire,' they add.
The aftermath of the attack on the house
News in 90 Seconds - May 27th
'My dad is an artist, and the fire also destroyed many of his original paintings, materials, and years of creative work—gone in moments. And to make matters worse, the house was uninsured, leaving no safety net to recover from the devastation.'
Now displaced, the family is trying to pick up the pieces, but 'financial burden of temporary housing, replacing essentials, and beginning the long process of rebuilding is immense'.
I'm reaching out to our community—friends, neighbours, and anyone moved by this tragedy—for help. Every donation will go directly to helping Patrick, Breda, and Luke recover and rebuild their lives,' the appeal adds.
'If you can't donate, please consider sharing this page. Your support, in any form, means the world to us. Thank you so much.'
Detectives believe the attacks was carried out as part of a worsening city feud involving a young drug dealer and junior associates of mobster Brian Rattigan.
There has been a spate of assaults and petrol bombings in recent weeks while one property was also shot up last year.
An investigation is under way into the latest incident which happened at around 2.30am last Wednesday.
Emergency services including Dublin Fire Brigade, paramedics and gardaí were alerted and two people taken to hospital as a precaution.
Extensive damage was caused by a suspected petrol bomb and the family dog was killed.
The lads who were sent out to petrol bomb their target clearly got the wrong house
The residents who live at the property have no involvement in criminality and gardaí are satisfied the perpetrators targeted the wrong home.
A source said: 'This is a decent family who have absolutely no involvement in what has been going on. The lads who were sent out to petrol bomb their target clearly got the wrong house.
The family lost everything in the incident
'It shows the calibre of people involved in this feuding and how easily completely innocent people can get caught up in this'.
A Garda spokesperson confirmed that an investigation into the incident of criminal damage by fire is under way.
The Sunday World previously revealed how a partner of one of the feuding criminals was also warned by her boyfriend's rivals that she would be burnt out of her home.
A drug dealer in his 20s is centrally involved in the dispute and was the victim of a violent attack
Her partner, a drug dealer aged in his 20s, is centrally involved in the dispute and was the victim of a violent attack in the city centre recently.
He was beaten over the head with weapons and also stabbed while receiving a bad slash wound to his face.
His family home was also shot at in May of last year while his home and car were smashed up days before the assault on him.
Days after that attack a series of coordinated petrol bomb attacks linked to the dispute were carried out in Drimnagh and Kildare.
Gardaí believe two brothers, who are in their early 20s and junior associates of convicted killer Rattigan, are leading the feud against the young drug dealer.
Rattigan led a gang involved in the deadly Crumlin/Drimnagh feud
They were previously part of the same drugs gang but last year fell out in a row over drugs as well as a personal dispute over a woman.
Rattigan led a gang involved in the deadly Crumlin/Drimnagh feud which claimed more than a dozen lives in the 2000s. He has served lengthy jail terms for drug offences and manslaughter.
The mobster is not suspected of playing any direct role in the feud but gardaí believe he still has a key role in criminality in the area.
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