Five held in connection with Travellers' feud

Five men were arrested today in connection with an ongoing conflict between two Traveller families in the midlands, gardaí said.

Iron bars, hammers, hatchets, pick axe handles and other implements were seized during a planned operation in Athlone.

Some of the men – aged from their late teens to mid-30s – are closely related.

They were detained after scuffles broke out when gardaí searched a halting site at Blackberry Lane at 7am this morning.

Gardaí have been investigating tit-for-tat attacks on two Traveller families in the Athlone and Moate areas.

It is believed family members were targeting each other’s cars.

The five men are being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act at Athlone garda station.