Woman fighting for her life after being attacked and stabbed while walking her dog in Cork

A man is also being treated in a Cork hospital after he was located lying injured some distance from the scene following a major search operation which involved members of the armed Garda Regional Support Unit (RSU).

The incident was discovered in north Cork shortly after lunchtime on Saturday near a property in Banteer, located between Kanturk and Macroom.

A 51-year-old woman was found with serious injuries after both Gardaí and paramedics raced to the scene within minutes of the alarm being raised.

The woman was out walking her dog when she was apparently attacked and stabbed.

A local man made the horrific discovery by the roadside and raised the alarm.

She was transferred to Cork University Hospital (CUH) for treatment of injuries that are understood to be life threatening.

There are no further details on her condition.

Gardaí immediately launched a search for a man believed to be known to the injured woman.

He was being sought in the Macroom, Kanturk and Millstreet areas.

The search was led by Gardaí from the North Cork Division but was supported by Gardaí from other parts of Cork as well as by the armed Regional Support Unit (RSU).

Members of the Defence Forces were also on standby to assist the search operation of a sprawling area of countryside.

The man was discovered in a rural area shortly after 6pm.

He was lying on the ground with multiple injuries.

The man was immediately rushed to CUH with injuries that are not understood to be life-threatening.

He remains under armed guard.

Neither of the two individuals are believed to be Irish nationals.

The area involved has been sealed off to allow for a full forensic examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.

Gardaí hope to speak with the man as soon as he is medically able to be interviewed about the precise circumstances of what happened.