Two men stabbed after gang row involving up 60 people

GARDAÍ are following a definite line of inquiry after two young men were hospitalised with serious stab wounds in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary, over the weekend.

A dispute that developed on the main street of the town on Saturday night made its way onto Bridge Street where up to 60 people became involved in a row between two gangs of youths.

It is understood that what began as a verbal disagreement erupted into a major row and gardaí found two injured men lying in pools of blood.

The stabbings took place before midnight.

In Sligo, three gardai were treated in hospital for injuries following a running battle with rioters in the centre of Sligo town early yesterday.

One of the injured officers had several teeth loosened and the others suffered cuts and bruises when they were kicked and punched. Bottles and beer cans were thrown at them.

A senior officer said that at one stage there were almost 1,000 people at the junction of O’Connell Street and Grattan Street “egging on” a group of about 20 who attacked the gardaí.

The riot erupted when gardaí went to intervene in a fight between two young women around 3.30 am.

A boyfriend of one of the girls then assaulted the gardaí and as they moved to arrest him several more joined in the attack.

Five people were arrested in the Sligo town uproar. Two men and a girl are to appear in court later this week on charges of assaulting gardaí and of breaches of public order.

A file has been sent to the DPP in relation to offences by a juvenile. Several other people are expected to be charged as investigations continue into the incident.

Onlookers were seen recording videos of the fighting on their mobile phones and gardaí have appealed for the footage to be handed in to help the investigation.