Call for closure of halting site after bareknuckle fight sparks riot

A HALTING site which gardaí were forced to patrol overnight on Tuesday because of rioting should be closed down, a local councillor said.

Rioting broke out between rival families after a bare-knuckle fist fight spread into the assembled gathering at the Kilbarry site on the edge of Waterford city, on Tuesday evening.

As many as 50 gardaí were forced to patrol the area throughout the night after several attempts were made by a handful of trouble-makers to re-ignite the rivalry.

An arsenal including pitchforks, scythes and planks of wood, was seized by gardaí at the site.

Yesterday, local councillor, Tom Murphy, who lives in the area, said it was time that the site was closed down.

Cllr Murphy commended superintendent, Dave Sheahan, and Inspector Padraig Dunne, for their swift action which, he said, may have saved lives on the site.

“Maybe it’s time now that this site was closed down,” he said yesterday as gardaí were still patrolling the site.

“If this illegal fist-fighting is going on, the trouble-makers should be moved out. It’s not fair on the others who are behaving or on the general community.

“Maybe it might be easier for us to address problems on this site if it were smaller. Smaller sites in other counties are easier to run. Many of these have caretakers. It’s an issue we should look at.”

A spokesperson for a nearby soccer club, St Xavier’s, told local radio, WLR FM, yesterday that it is plagued by a handful of trouble-makers who are making life hell for club members and visiting teams.

“We had a friendly game abandoned recently because some of them stoned us off the pitch. We can’t put up nets or corner flags. Everything has to be double locked.

“We’ve had broken bottles, dead animals, sanitary towels, nappies and rubbish thrown in over the wall willy-nilly. When the gardaí investigate, the travellers deny they own the children who are engaged in this behaviour,” the spokesman added.