By Declan Tierney

The parents of the young Tuam man, who was subjected to a vicious attack at the weekend, have said that they are now more hopeful that their son will make a recovery from his serious head injuries.

Shane Grogan (22) remains unconscious in the Beaumont Hospital but his parents Joe and Joan have told The Connacht Tribune that they are much more positive about their son’s condition than they were immediately after the attack.

Shane and his girlfriend were returning home in the early hours of Sunday morning following an enjoyable day out at the Galway Races when he was attacked.

He sustained serious head injuries after a piece of concrete kerbing is understood to have been thrown at him.

He was taken to University College Hospital in Galway before being rushed to the Beaumont Hospital in Dublin where he underwent surgery on Sunday evening.

The incident has shocked the town and hundreds of local people have conveyed their support and prayers to Joe and Joan Grogan and Shane’s sister Sarah who are all closely monitoring his condition and are hoping for a gradual improvement.

“Shane underwent another procedure on Tuesday to relieve the pressure on his brain and the surgeons are satisfied with the progress he is making. It is now a waiting game”, explained Joe. He and his wife have remained in Dublin since being told of the devastating news in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The parents have received countless calls and texts from people inquiring about Shane’s condition and Archbishop Michael Neary prayed for him in Lourdes while on a pilgrimage there earlier this week.

Shane is a GMIT graduate who works in Merit Medical in Galway city and his colleagues have sent get-well cards to the hospital in Dublin and they are also anxious to hear news of his recovery.

Meanwhile eighteen-year-old Shane Byrne, originally from Dublin, currently of no fixed address but resident in Tuam, was arrested shortly after the attack and was detained in Tuam Garda Station. He has since been charged with assault causing harm.

Read more in today’s Connacht Tribune