Shooting could escalate Traveller feud

FEARS have increased of a fresh round of violence in a long-running Traveller feud in the midlands after two men were shot in their car when they were ambushed on a public road.

The men received pellet wounds in the attack on the outskirts of Longford town at lunchtime yesterday while a third man travelling with them was beaten with a blunt instrument.

Fighting later broke out outside Mullingar Hospital where the men were receiving treatment and gardaí were forced to call in all available officers to restore order and man checkpoints around the town.