Family of man slain in mass brawl fearful of revenge attack

THE close family of a man slain in a mass brawl on St Stephen’s night fear that as soon as he is buried a revenge attack will be launched on those suspected of killing him.

There is local speculation that the fight between members of the Delaney and Crinnion families and their associates at the Manhattan Bar was orchestrated to get a senior member of one of the feuding families to the scene.

In spite of rapid escalation of the tensions there, that individual stayed away. However, 51-year-old Gerard Delaney left his home in Mahon where he had been babysitting with his wife after receiving a call to say that relatives needed help following rows — first at Quirkies Bar in Pearse Square, Ballyphehane, and then at the Manhattan in Lower Friars Walk — between members of the Delaneys and the Crinnions.

Mr Delaney, who had no convictions for serious crime and had kept himself and his immediate family out of the feud, is understood to have been confronted by a number of individuals while he was trying to protect one of his relatives. He sustained at least one stab wound on his back and was severely beaten.

A car which was carrying one of his relatives then pulled up, he was lifted into the vehicle and driven to a house in Plunkett Road and later brought by car to Cork University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Gardaí have found the knife which they believe may have been used to stab Mr Delaney as well as a baseball bat and a pickaxe handle.

An 18-year-old man and a woman in her 20s were taken to Mercy University Hospital, to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Sources close to the dead man’s family say they fear a revenge attack may be mounted very soon after he is buried, something which they say he would not have wanted. As yet no funeral details have been published. Sources say the man’s family just want to be left in peace to grieve.

There has been ongoing tension between the Delaneys and the Crinnions and their associates. Last month Robert Crinnion was jailed for 10 years for a slash-hook attack on Mr Delaney’s brother, Finbarr, in February.

Security around the Togher and Ballyphehane areas of Cork is already tight, with the garda armed regional support unit on standby.

To date, two men have been arrested in relation to the brawl at the pub. They were arrested for public order offences but were later released without charge. Gardaí have also spoken to a number of people who were socialising in the bar when the brawl broke out.

Anyone with information about the incident on Tuesday morning is asked to contact Togher Garda Station on 021 4947120.