Former Kilkenny hurling star Adrian Ronan and his family were subjected to a terrifying ordeal by so-called 'tiger kidnappers' yesterday. Ronan was forced to demand EUR3 million in cash from the Bank of Ireland in Kilkenny where he works after the gang threatened his wife Mary and three children. The kidnappers raided the family home before dawn yesterday, taking his wife hostage and ordering him to withdraw the money from the bank. He left the bank with a sum of cash, but the gang failed to get a single cent after demanding more. Gardai said the gang of three raided the Ronan home at 6.15am and ordered the former All-Ireland winning hurler to the bank at opening time. Detectives were alerted when the bank opened and a counter-operation following agreed protocols swung into operation. Mary Ronan was found unharmed at about 3pm at the weather station on Granger's Road in the city. It is not clear why the gang gave up on their plan. Now retired from hurling, Adrian Ronan was one of Kilkenny's biggest names during the 1990s, winning All-Ireland medals in '92 and '93. A goalkeeper turned forward, he was part of the Graigue-Ballycallan team that lost the 2001 All-Ireland club final to Athenry. Two years ago, he managed Danesfort to an All-Ireland junior club title success at Croke Park. Tweet

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