Accused was trying to broker peace deal, court hears

The accused in a triple attempted murder trial told gardaí he was trying to broker a peace deal between two Traveller families feuding over a damaged caravan, a court has heard.

In a statement to gardaí following a shooting at St Dominic’s Park, Belcamp Lane, Coolock, Patrick ‘Curly’ McDonagh said his family had been feuding with the Gavin family who lived at the St Dominic’s halting site.

A gun had been fired on Christmas Day 2004 and Martin Gavin, the Gavin family spokesman, had his caravan damaged, the Central Criminal Court heard.

McDonagh, 42, and his cousin Martin McDonagh, 31 of Dunsink Lane, Finglas, Dublin are charged with the attempted murder of John Gavin, Robert Gavin and Patrick Gavin at St Dominic’s Park, Belcamp Lane, Coolock on New Year’s Day 2005.

The McDonagh’s have also pleaded not guilty to possession of a sawn off shotgun and recklessly or intentionally causing harm to Robert Gavin.

Patrick McDonagh turned himself into police on January 4, 2005 concerned the Gavin’s had said he was involved in the shooting, Mr Justice Paul Carney and the jury of nine men and three women heard.

"God forgive them for blaming me the truth will come out," Mr McDonagh told gardaí.

He said he had gone to St Dominic’s to broker peace and Martin Gavin had told him it would not be stopped until he got payment for his caravan.

"Bare-knuckle fights was mentioned in the conversation and Martin says we weren’t boxers," the court heard read from the written statement.

Mr McDonagh said he had driven his wife’s car into the site to broker the deal but he left leaving the car at nearby Cara Park and getting a ride to the pub where he was when he heard about the shooting.

He told gardaí in one of his seven written statements read to the court that Travellers used to settle scores with fist fights or by families talking but now people were using guns.

"Used to be two members of the family would get together to talk, but now there’s young men, hard men trying to make a name for themselves," he said.

The trial will break on Monday before resuming on Tuesday next week.