Senior Gardaí are appealing for calm after a young girl was left with serious injuries during an attack on a house in County Cork.

Five men in balaclavas attacked the house on the New Line close to the centre of Charleville town after 11pm on Monday night.

The girl was seriously injured when the gang broke a window at the house before fleeing the scene in a black car.

Superintendent Gary McPolin is leading the investigation and said Gardaí have already examined the property.

“We have an idea that there was an incident early in the month of August that may have contributed to this attack,” he said.

“[However] there were no males in this house - you only had a mother with her four children.

“It’s beyond comprehension that this behaviour was conducted or is accepted in society.”

Superintendent McPolin said his team are conducting “house to house” inquiries in the local area and are appealing for any witnesses to come forward and assist them.

“The incident room has been set up in Mallow Garda Station here and we’re appealing to any independent witnesses who may have observed the five males…. [travelling] in the direction of Limerick.

“[Or] anyone with dash cam footage that may have observed something that’s out of the ordinary on Monday night or may have heard something.”

One line of inquiry is whether the attack was the result of a feud between families.

Main image: A member of the Gardaí. Image: Eamonn Farrell / © RollingNews.ie