Calls for closure of halting site after 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 says.

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 of weapons including pitchforks, scythes and planks of wood, were seized as gardaí restored order.

Yesterday, local councillor, Tom Murphy, who lives in the area, says its time that the site was closed down altogether. He commended local superintendent, Dave Sheahan, and Inspector Padraig Dunne, on their swift action which may have saved lives on the site.

“Maybe its 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. Its 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,” he added.

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.

“If footballs go over the wall, they are not returned, he said. And the club can’t even upgrade its facilities.”

The Kilbarry site has been the focus of much negative publicity over the years. It has a history of disorder and the city council’s director of services, Paddy Power, alleged last year that a criminal element had infiltrated the site. Gardaí were involved in a massive search of the site also last year.