Four Travellers arrested over airport bar brawl

TRAVELLERS, but not of the air fare variety, fed up of being blocked from drinking in high street bars, decided to try their luck at Dublin Airport’s arrival lounge.

But they blew their cover after a mass brawl broke out at the terminal.

Four people, including a teenage girl, were arrested and a garda was treated for minor injuries following the incident on Wednesday night.

Between 30 and 40 people were involved in the row, which started in the Red Bar on the arrivals floor of the airport terminal. Gardaí were called and managed to calm tensions but trouble broke out again at the taxi rank outside the building.

Airport management said those involved in the incident do not appear to have been on any of the incoming flights.

Sources at Dublin airport said groups of Travellers were using airport lounges because of the difficulties they face in ordinary bars.

“There is a bit of a growing trend for large number of Travellers to head to the airport at that time of night. I suppose they are hoping to blend in with other less traditional travellers,” said the source.

Gardaí said trouble broke out at the Red Bar around 10.45pm. Aer Rianta called gardaí, who arrived to find a fight in progress just outside the bar in the arrivals hall.

Gardaí moved the crowd outside the terminal building but the fights again broke out again and gardaí made the arrests. Three of those arrested were released but are expected to be summonsed to appear at a later date before Dublin District Court.

The teenage girl is to be dealt with by the garda juvenile liaison office.

It is understood those arrested gave a local Travellers camp as an address.