Civic guests run for cover from court riot

OVERSEAS teachers visiting Limerick got a sharp lesson in violence — shortly after getting a civic reception from the city’s mayor.

The teachers had to run for cover after a brawl erupted outside a Limerick courthouse.

The melee prompted the mayor of Limerick to further advance the relocation of the court building.

Currently part of the civic buildings complex at Merchant’s Quay, mayor John Gilligan said a new courthouse should be developed close to Limerick prison.

He is seeking a meeting with the court service to impress on them the urgency of the situation.

After a group of 70 teachers from various countries had been given a civic reception by Mr Gilligan they walked into a violent brawl involving scores of youths and girls who had gathered on the steps of the courthouse area.

Some of the visiting teachers had to run for shelter to avoid getting caught up in the street riot.

Mr Gilligan said a new courthouse area should be erected on vacant ground in the St Joseph’s Hospital campus and a tunnel or bridge developed to connect it to the nearby prison.

“We cannot allow this thing to go on. This is something we can change. The court service have said they plan to move the courthouse to a site adjacent to the prison, but we now need action and they need to spell out what they are doing,” he said.

“Young fellows are going to court and they bring along their entire gangs and their girlfriends. This leads to large unruly mobs congregating at Merchant’s Quay. People wanting to do business in city hall can’t get in or out of the building. It presents an awful image of the city.

“I feel very bad what happened the group of teachers who I received in my office. At present it costs a fortune to bring prisoners under Garda escort down from the prison. You have sirens blaring through the city centre and all this can be avoided by a very uncomplicated plan.”

Visitors to the 12th century St Mary’s Cathedral, which is adjacent to the civic office building, often have to walk the gauntlet of heavily armed gardaí when high-security prisoners are being brought to the court.

Some tour guides avoid the area due to regular street brawls breaking out in Merchant’s Quay.

The court service has stated that it intends to move the district court to a new site adjacent to the prison. However no timescale has been given for the move.