Traveller gets five years for carrying shotgun

There were violent scenes at Cork Circuit Criminal Court this evening when a traveller was jailed for five years for carrying a sawn-off shotgun.

The man had the gun at a violent incident at an unofficial halting site in Cork city almost three years ago.

Judge Sean O’Donnabhain said Patrick "Rubber Og" O'Reilly (aged 34) of Kilbarry halting site in Waterford was a man with a serious propensity for violence.

Members of his family reacted angrily afterwards and garda back-up was called to deal with the situation.

The judge commended the gardai for controlling the violent situation that gave rise to the case in an exemplary and professional manner. He singled out gardai Mark O’Mahony, Declan O’Connor, Liam Quinlan and Sergeant Tim Murphy for particular commendation.

The jury found O’Reilly guilty of being in possession of the gun for an unlawful purpose, of engaging in a violent affray and two lesser charges.

They found him not guilty of threatening to kill two gardai on the occasion at the end of the three-day trial.

Garda Declan O’Connor said yesterday: "It was a very violent, dangerous situation for all present, including the gardai and the McCarthy family. It was the most violent and dangerous situation I found myself in in 20 years in the force.

"I was in fear for my life, I thought I was going to be shot. I feared for myself and for my colleagues."

The case arose out of an incident at the unofficial halting site at the Ringmahon interchange in Ballinure, Mahon, Cork on September 8, 2000.

Hurleys, slashooks, golf clubs, hammers, knives and pickaxe handles were wielded by various people during the incident that lasted for 30 to 40 minutes.

It followed a violent row at an engagement party in a GAA hall the previous night.

At 8.30am on the day in question members of the McCarthy family from Spring Lane halting site in Blackpool, Cork arrived at the site in Mahon. A confrontation developed and a large number of gardai rushed to the scene.

Gardai stood between two clans as various dangerous implements were wielded.