A businessman has died after he and his partner were attacked by an armed gang at their home near the town of Ballincollig in County Cork. Mikolaj Wilk, a 35 year-old Polish national, was targeted by "a number of men with weapons" shortly after 3am in a quiet cul-de-sac in Maglin. Two young children were also staying at the house when Mr Wilk and his partner, who is in her early 30s, were seriously injured. Mr Wilk was pronounced dead at Cork University Hospital at 5.30am but the woman's injuries are not believed to be life threatening. The children and another woman in her 30s escaped unharmed. Gardai launched a murder investigation and appealed for information from anyone who noticed "unusual or suspicious activities" in the area. Superintendent Colm O'Sullivan told reporters at the scene: "Mr Wilk has left a family, a wife behind as well as friends in the Polish community and the wider community in Ballincollig and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time." Mr Wilk, who was alsso known as Nick, ran a garden maintenance business and had been living in Ireland for several years, according to local media. Police did not give details of the weapons used, describing it only as a "serious assault", but the TV3 channel reported that the gang were armed with machetes. "On arrival, Gardaí found Mr. Wilk seriously injured with life threatening injuries," the police said in a statement. "They gave medical attention while awaiting the arrival of the paramedics. "Mr. Wilk was removed to the Cork University Hospital, where, unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the medical teams at the hospital, Mr. Wilk died of his injuries. "His partner, was also removed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries." The attackers are believed to have abandoned and set fire to their car shortly after the attack on Mr Wilk and his girlfriend. Cork County Fire Service found the BMW 3 series in Waterfall around six kilometres from the murder scene at the Bridge House, Maglin, Ballincollig. We believe this car to be a BMW 3 series. Both scenes are currently being preserved and undergoing forensic examinations. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. 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Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom.<doc-sep>Members of the Polish community in Cork have been attending a Mass in the city this evening for Mikolaj Wilk, who died after he was attacked at his home in Ballincollig in the early hours of Sunday morning. Prayers were offered at Mass for Mr Wilk, and for his wife, Elzbieta, who remains in hospital. For the second time in four days, the Polish community in Cork gathered to pray for Mikolaj Wilk, for his wife Elzbieta and for their two young children. The vicious and brutal attack, which left Mikolaj Wilk dead and Elzbieta in hospital, has also left members of their own community in fear and in shock. Fr Piotr Galus, who was the chief celebrant at tonight's Mass, visited Elzbieta in hospital along with the Bishop of Cork, Dr John Buckley. Fr Piotr Galus An on-going fundraising campaign for Mikolaj Wilk's family has raised more than €16,000. Investigating gardaí today renewed their appeal for help from the public in relation to Mikolaj Wilk's death. In particular they are asking hackney and taxi drivers who were working in the area around Maglin, Waterfall, Ballinora and Ballincollig in the early hours of Sunday morning to contact them. They say they are pleased with the progress of the investigation, but are expecting a complex, resource-intensive, protracted investigation. We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences<doc-sep>
A murder investigation is under way into the death of a man following an assault at a house in Ballincollig, Co Cork. The man has been named as 35-year-old Mikolaj Wilk. His partner Elzbieta, aged in her early 30s, was seriously injured in the attack. Mr Wilk, who was originally from Poland, lived in Ballincollig for several years and ran a garden maintenance business. The attack happened when a gang of up to four men entered his home in the Maglin area shortly after 3am this morning. Mr Wilk and his partner were taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment, where he was pronounced dead at 5.30am. A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out tomorrow morning. Elzbieta's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Mikolaj Wilk and his partner Elzbieta The couple's two young children, aged under six, were in the bungalow and witnessed the assault. They were uninjured. Another woman, aged in her 30s, was also in the bungalow at the time of the attack and escaped through a window. She was also not injured in the attack. Gardaí appeal for information after a Polish man was attacked by a gang at his home in Ballincollig, Co Cork - @PaschalSheehy reports pic.twitter.com/SViy0CMv6r — RTÉ News (@rtenews) June 10, 2018 The gang left the scene in a car, possibly a BMW Three Series, which was found burnt out at Inniskenny in Waterfall six kilometres away. Gardaí have appealed for help in tracing the movements of the car. The bungalow was preserved for a technical examination. We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences Local Fianna Fáil Councillor Daithí Ó Donnabháin has described the attack as "shocking and worrying". Speaking to RTÉ News, Mr Ó Donnabháin said: "We have a very serious incident here where men set out in the dead of night, armed with weapons to break into a house … and to cause injury and attack a man in this manner, it is very shocking and very worrying." An appeal for witnesses has been made, and anyone with information is asked to contact gardaí at Gurranabraher Garda Station on 021-4946200 or any garda station. Gardaí are particularly anxious to speak to any drivers who may have dash cam footage and travelled in the Maglin, Ballincollig, Ballinora and Waterfall areas between 2am and 5am.