Traveller street riot leaves locals terrified

More of the same.


Part of the large force of Gardai on duty during the funeral of Martin McDonagh in Ballymote yesterday. On right are some of the weapons confiscated earlier in the day.


AN OUTBREAK of serious violence was averted by gardai in the Sligo town of Ballymote yesterday morning when hundreds of travellers, many armed with deadly weapons, converged for a funeral.
In a major security operation involving gardai from five different divisions, two men were arrested and two firearms and an arsenal of over 100 assorted weapons was seized in searches at five checkpoints mounted on all routes into the town.

From early morning groups began arriving in the south Sligo town for the funeral of Martin `The Priest Groundshaker' McDonagh (79), originally from Mayo, who died in the English city of Leicester over a week ago.


ONGOING FEUD

Gardai were notified of the death by their English colleagues and were aware of what is believed to be an ongoing feud between members of the McDonagh and Ward travelling families, and drew up the the plan to avert the feared clash.

``A similar situation occurred here less than a year ago and at that time we recovered weapons. With the help of our overseas colleagues and intelligence in Dublin and Galway we set about a similar operation,'' local Superintendent Tom Gallagher explained.

More than 100 gardai from divisions in Donegal, Sligo-Leitrim, Cavan-Monaghan, Roscommon and Galway were deployed to the checkpoints where comprehensive searches of vehicles and their occupants were carried out from 9am.

In a search of a car near the graveyard, a sawn-off shotgun and a small handgun were recovered and two men were arrested and detained at Sligo garda station under Section 30 of the Offence Against the State Act.


MEAT CLEAVERS

Other searches yielded an arsenal which included sledge hammers, lump hammers, machetes, swords, pitchforks, knives, hatchets, meat cleavers, wheel braces, hurley sticks and chains.

Half a dozen hatchets which were included in the seizure still had price tags, and had been purchased in a hardware store in a neighbouring town. According to Supt Gallagher the intention was clear.

``There is no doubt that they all here anticipating violence. We suspected as much and that is why we mounted the checkpoints. I am certain many lives could have been lost if a fight had gone ahead,'' he said.

Gardai continued to maintain a presence at the funeral mass and burial but the event passed off peacefully.

They had advised local shopkeepers and publicans to keep their premises closed for the morning, and the advice was heeded. By 2pm all those attending the funeral had departed towards Dublin and Galway.

OMcGovern wrote:

If they are looking for protection, they'ld find sanctuary in a job office / recruitment agency.... other travellers won't step foot in there.

Racist!

How would you get 40 travellers into an employment agency?

popebenny16 wrote:

Someone posted above about the body falling out of the coffin, but it wasnt mentioned in the press report quoted above.

As for the Equlaity Tribunal, i'm sure they would ensure there was a good, clean fight. As for Pavee Point? Probably too busy getting worked up about the rights of travelers to have a special area in a&e where caravans can be parked cos the ambulances are getting in their way.

Or maybe they are worn out after their herculean efforts recently in St Partick's on behalf of the Afghani "guests"