Bishop fears Traveller feud could end in deaths

BISHOP Willie Walsh, in his final week leading the diocese, has acknowledged he is very worried that a feud between Traveller families in the Ennis area could intensify.

He said the feud has the potential to reach the level of violence between some members of the settled community in cities such as Limerick and Dublin.

“I’m quite concerned that the feud will escalate again. Nothing is settled by violence. Violence breeds violence. It has escalated in recent years and I’m very worried that it will escalate further and will result in very serious injury or potentially in death.

“We read regularly in the national media now about feuds among the settled community in the cities and how destructive they are to those involved and to the wider community.

“Nobody wants these matters to persist. This feud between Travellers in Ennis has the potential to reach that level and I am very worried about that. Nobody in Ennis or Clare wants that.”

Bishop Walsh said: “I pray that those involved will see the error of their ways, for their own sake and that of the wider community. I would ask them to consider carefully, and I believe strongly that mediation can assist with this, to find another way going forward.”

The bishop also confirmed he hasn’t been involved in mediating in issues between Traveller families in recent times.

“I previously talked to Traveller families. About 10 years ago in relation to finding a location for a Traveller accommodation site on the Gort Road in Ennis, a mediation process was set up to reach a consensus between Travellers, residents and schools. The process helped to heal matters and that mediation process went well. That was for an agreed process and for the purpose of reaching a consensus on the location of the halting site,” he explained. “I haven’t been involved much in recent times. I was approached privately some time ago, about a month or two ago, not a direct approach by a public body. I just didn’t think I had the time to devote to it.”