An irate Dubliner has explained why he attacked former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern with a crutch in a city center pub.

Ray Connolly was ejected from the Sean O’Casey public house, beside the Abbey Theatre, after the attempted assault and was arrested by police.

He admitted the incident to the Irish Independent after police intervened.

Ahern, the disgraced former PM and Fianna Fail leader, was attending a retirement party at the venue for a public servant.

Ireland’s Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn had also attended the event but left before the attack on Ahern, according to the report.

The paper says Ahern was at the bar with a group of friends when Connolly attempted to hit him with his crutch.

Connolly told the paper he was sitting at the bar having a ‘quiet pint’ when Bertie and his friends came in ‘with sandwiches.’

The Dubliner said the former was ‘laughing all night long.’

Connolly admitted: “I became extremely annoyed when I heard him say ‘that was in the good old days’ before bursting out laughing again.

“He’s put a lot of people in a terrible situation. I’ve two kids - he’s put €30,000 on their heads each.”

Connolly, whose crutch is now slightly bent according to the report, explained that he used to play hurling.

He was ejected from the bar and subsequently arrested by police, although the paper says the arrest was not related to the assault on Ahern and is believed to have been for a public order offence.

Connolly added: “I am bitterly disappointed that Mr Ahern has decided not to press charges. I wanted my day in court with Bertie.”

Police and Ahern both refused to comment on the incident. Ahern remained in the pub for an hour after the attack with one eye witness saying the crutch hit the bar and not the former PM.