A woman has been stabbed inside a church in Ireland just before morning Mass. The attack took place on July 21, 2026, at Holy Cross Church in Summerhill, Tramore, County Waterford, at about 9.45am. The victim, aged in her 50s, suffered a single knife wound at the altar as she prayed and was rushed to hospital.
Emergency response
Multiple units, including specialist armed gardaí from the Armed Support Unit, responded to the incident along with paramedics. The victim suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries, police have said.
Witness account
Speaking to the Irish Mirror, local parishioner Ann O'Connor, who said she was with the victim when the attack occurred, described horror scenes. "The lady that was stabbed was kneeling behind me so I didn’t see a lot but it was very traumatic. He was there and he came down the church and stopped. He just lunged with a knife and she ran and he after her," she said. Ms O'Connor described the woman as a "lovely person" and "very gentle."
