Man’s stab murder may be linked to Traveller feud

A MAN was murdered in Tipperary Town last night in an attack suspected to be linked to an ongoing feud between Traveller families in the south-east.

The victim is believed to be from the Tipperary town area and was in his late 50s.

He was assaulted while sitting in a van at the junction of Kickham Place and Abbey Street shortly after 6pm.

The victim received a number of stab wounds but attempted to drive away from his attackers, crashing his vehicle at the junction of Bridge Street and Abbey Street. He was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

Gardaí last night launched a full-scale murder investigation into the killing, which was described as “particularly brutal”.

The scene and the van were preserved for technical examination.

Although gardaí were stating it was too early to link the murder directly with any clear motive, they were believed to be investigating whether it was contacted to a long-running traveller feud in the Waterford area.

This feud had been thought to be resolved in February this year. However, in the late summer, a number of attacks were linked to it re-igniting.

In 2008, 138 incidents arising from the dispute were recorded, while 72 people were arrested.

Serious injuries, from incidents such as shootings, beatings and other attacks, have previously been inflicted during the dispute.

Three horses had to be put down in Waterford city last December after being mutilated in two attacks believed to be connected to the feud.

Also, about a dozen of Waterford City Council’s houses were damaged in petrol bombings and other attacks.

In separate attacks, a teenage girl and teenage boy were injured in drive-by style shootings in the city.

The feud began after a bare-knuckle fight between rival Traveller families.

- Gardaí last night appealed for witnesses to contact Tipperary Garda Station on 062 80670.