Mounted gang goes on rampage
With their heads covered by balaclavas, the mounted outlaws brandished cudgels and sticks as they attacked homes and a school.
The incident was described by Limerick Chief Supt David Sheehan as “intimidatory”.
Gardaí suspect the attack was in retaliation for the city council seizing and impounding more than 20 stray horses in the Moyross area over the weekend.
Windows and doors in St Nessan’s Community College were smashed during the violence.
The gang charged through Moyross on horses, mostly piebalds, and proceeded to attack property in the estate and St Nessan’s.
Thousands of euro worth of damage was caused. A car and a security camera in Moyross were also damaged.
One local said: “It was like a scene from the wild west. These fellas riding mad through the streets.”
Chief Supt Sheehan said the masked horsemen laid sticks embedded with nails along roads in and around the estate to damage Garda cars responding to the area.
“What happened was the gardaí took control of horses that were over and around Moyross the night before last [Sunday, Apr 21] and there was a bit of a revolt by them then last night [Monday] arising from that.
“A few of them went around on horseback last night around Moyross with balaclavas and sticks.
“They did put sticks on the ground with nails on them to act as stingers, so we could not get to certain areas. But we got to those areas. We got the RSU [Regional Support Unit] involved and we got to those areas; it wasn’t a problem.”
Pat O’Halloran, who runs a grocers in nearby Ballynanty, hit out at the attack.
“I ask these people to please step back and listen. By going out like this and doing the damage, I call on them to stop, stop now.
“Together we can sit down and come to a scenario where we can talk with the council and the gardaí about the situation.”
