'Feels like a bad dream' - heartbroken sister pays tribute to Limerick dog attack victim

The young woman who was killed in a horror dog attack in Limerick on Tuesday night has been named locally, as her heartbroken sister paid tribute on Facebook.

The woman, named locally as Nicole Morey, was savaged by the animal late on Tuesday night at around 11.40pm in Ballyneety, and died at the scene. 

Her body was taken to Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick, where a post-mortem will take place on Wednesday.

The local community has been left reeling by the news. Tributes have flooded in for Ms Morey on social media, with friends and family adding that the attack happened on her birthday.

"My heart is shattered once again," wrote Nicole's sister Jolene in a touching tribute on Facebook. "I only hung up on you 2 seconds before, I really tried my best to help".

"I’m so sorry Nicole I love you so much. It feels like a bad dream".

Jolene added in another post that her family would be letting off yellow and purple balloons on Thursday at 6:30pm in honour of Nicole. She added that others in Limerick were welcome to join them, saying: "any balloons will do. My poor sister didn't deserve it, I will love and miss Nicole."

Gardaí confirmed in a full statement today that the Regional Armed Support Unit was brought to the scene of the dog attack in Ballyneety, Co. Limerick.

"Gardaí from the Regional Armed Support Unit attended and during the course of making the scene safe, encountered a number of aggressive dogs on the property. One dog was destroyed and three dogs were restrained by Gardaí.

"The three dogs have been seized by the Dog Warden. A women, aged in her 20s, was treated by paramedics and succumbed to her injuries at the scene. Her body has been removed to University Hospital, Limerick where a post mortem examination will take place.

Limerick Councillor Conor Sheehan has said "urgent action" is required to ban certain breeds of dog following last night's tragedy, after some outlets reported that the victim was attacked by the restricted XL Bully dog breed.

"Horrified and deeply saddened to hear about what has happened in Ballyneety overnight," he said. "My thoughts and sympathies are with the family of that poor young woman. Government needs to take urgent action on banning and enforcing a ban on certain dangerous dogs."

Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD said on the fatal dog attack: “I am absolutely appalled by the news that a woman has died following a dog attack in Limerick. I want to begin by expressing my deepest sympathies to her family in what is a deeply shocking incident.

"A Garda investigation is underway and it’s important we establish the facts on what happened. I have consistently said that more action is required in relation to dog control. That’s why I have set up a cross Governmental stakeholder group, chaired by the retired Deputy Garda Commissioner John Twomey, to examine this whole area. That Group’s work is underway. I have asked the Group to examine the restricted breeds list, in line with actions being taken in the UK and Northern Ireland.