Street fight sparks calls for extra gardaí

SERIOUS disturbances, which resulted in residents locking themselves in their homes, have accelerated calls for an increased garda presence in the south Tipperary town of Killenaule.

Iron bars and slash hooks were used as the violence erupted in the Pike Street area on Tuesday night, and garda reinforcements had to be summoned from all of the surrounding towns to quell what locals have described as “a riot”.

Now county councillor John Fahy is demanding that Justice Minister Michael McDowell immediately address a situation which has left Killenaule with just one garda, where previously there had been a sergeant and two gardaí.