Limerick man 'lucky to be alive' after stag attack

A COUNTY Limerick man who went for a hike up Torc Mountain in Killarney National Park says he nearly died on the way down.

Scotty Meehan, aged 31, from Askeaton said he is "lucky to be alive" after he was attacked by a stag and pinned to the ground with its antlers.

He said he went for a hike up the mountain on Saturday, January 8 and was on his way down when he noticed a tree stripped of its bark.

"It was about 4.30 / 5pm. I was on my own. I was about 200 metres from the car. I heard this kind of coughing sound behind and I thought nothing of it. Then I heard the sound of hooves behind me. I looked around and there was me man a few hundred yards away from me.

"It was a massive red stag. He was roaring and frothing at the mouth. He was going mad. He was about 100 metres away from me. He charged at me," recalled Scotty.

Next thing, he says, he was on the ground.

"He caught me on my leg and got my knee. I caught him by the antlers and I was kind of struggling with him. I got him off my knee for about five seconds and next thing, bang, he landed on my left arm and pinned me to the ground. He was face-to-face with me.

"I said the only way to get out of this now is with my right hand that is free. I had to think fast. I just kept punching the side of his head until he let me go. It was the only way I could get free. The next second I looked up and he was gone."

Scotty tried to run to his car but could only walk due to the "severe pain". He drove off but after a few minutes he couldn't drive anymore.

"I rang my parents who came down and collected me and my car. I went to the Shannondoc in Newcastle West. They told me go straight to hospital, so I went to hospital in Limerick then.

"My left knee was scrope asunder. I'm only after now getting into a tracksuit because it's healing up. For the last few weeks I was in a pair of shorts to let the air get at it to heal it. I fractured my left shoulder, I've to go into the hospital this week about that and I've a lot of bruising. I'm out of work since. I can't drive or nothing like."

Scotty, who is six foot tall and weighs 120kgs, shared his story to warn other walkers and hikers.

"I met two or three families coming down out of there when I was going up. I said to myself afterwards if a stag attacked a woman on her own or a small kid... I rang the Killarney National Park and reported it. I was talking to a ranger. I was onto Michael Healy Rae about it too. I heard a woman was hospitalised by a stag the other day".

The Irish Examiner reported a woman sustained injuries and had to be airlifted to hospital after being attacked by a stag in Glencar, Kerry on Saturday, January 22.

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The Leader contacted the National Parks and Wildlife Service through the Department of Housing about the alleged incident.

A spokesperson said: "National Parks and Wildlife Service staff in Killarney National Park were notified on January 20 of an incident involving a member of the public and a deer in the vicinity of Torc Mountain which was alleged to have taken place some days beforehand."

Scotty says his hiking days are over for the time being.

"I got a couple of photos at the top and that's me done for there now. I've enough of it seen. I'm lucky to come away with my life out of it."