Travellers in Limerick told to get out of site
Locals made it clear yesterday to the new arrivals they are not welcome.
The group of Travellers have entered privately owned land in Rathkeale.
According to some of the newly arrived group, they left Waterford due to a feud which has flared up there between certain sections of the Traveller community.
Settled Travellers make up more than 60% of Rathkeale’s population of 1,500 — which swells to 3,000 during certain festive periods of the year.
A number of shops in the town have already expressed concerns about the new arrivals.
Pubs in the town which all cater for the local Traveller community have reportedly closed their doors to the Waterford Travellers.
One local source said: “They are keeping their doors closed at night and just allow in the locals. To comply with the law, they put up notices on the doors that read: ‘private party.’
“There is a lot of tension between the local Traveller community and the Waterford group.”
The new arrivals have parked about 10 caravans near the town on the Ballingarry Road and are numbered about 50, including children.
Supt Joe Roe said they were monitoring the situation.
He said: “It is getting extra attention — and extra resources have been deployed. We are conscious of their presence.”
It is believed the gardaí are investigating a number of incidents in which the Waterford group are alleged to have been involved.
A local resident said the group from Waterford have caused a lot of problems in the town since their arrival.
One member of the Waterford group said they had been forced to leave Waterford over an ongoing feud in which their house had been burned to the ground.
She said another group of Travellers in Waterford had forced them to leave the city so that the rival group would be in line to get tenancies in a new scheme of houses being built by Waterford City Council.
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