Armed gardaí still on duty following further feud-related violence

MEMBERS of the armed Garda Regional Response Unit were still on duty in the St Martin’s Park area of Tralee yesterday, following a further outbreak of violence in a continuing feud between two Traveller families.

Up to 20 Tralee gardaí were tasked to the St Martin’s Park/Mitchels area over the weekend to deal with incidents and it was later decided to deploy two groups of the response unit from Cork.

Windows were smashed in eight cars and some damage had also been caused to houses.

Inspector Derek Smart, Tralee, who described the incidents as “serious”, said it was the second time the unit had to be deployed since the feud started.

Four men were arrested and brought before a special district court sitting in Killorglin, Co Kerry, yesterday, arising from the feud in which upwards of 50 people were involved, on Sunday.

Judge James O’Connor remanded two of the men in custody and two on bail, all to appear at Tralee District Court tomorrow.

One man, in his 30s, was charged with threatening another, intending the victim to believe he would kill him or cause him serious harm. He was further charged with threatening and abusive behaviour intended to provoke a breach of the peace and with failing to comply with a garda’s directions. He was remanded in custody to Cork Prison.

A second, in is 20s, was charged with possessing an iron bar at Kerry General Hospital. He was also remanded in custody to Cork Prison.

A man in his 30s was charged with having a slash hook with a sharply pointed blade at Kerry General Hospital while a man, in his 20s, was charged with having an iron bar, also at the hospital.

Both were remanded on bail on their own bonds of €2,000.

Among the bail conditions were that they sign at Castleisland Garda Station each Monday and Friday and that they stay away from the Tralee area. They were also ordered not to have any contact with 10 named individuals and that they do not travel in any vehicle with named persons.

Tralee solicitor Pat Mann applied for bail for the defendants. He said one of the men, in his 30s, had “nothing to do with the feud” and had been returning home from a christening in Cork.

Further arrests are expected.