Three men charged as part of investigation into North Cork  feud remanded on bail

Sonny O’Neill, 45, Mark O’Neill, 43, and Davey O’Neill, 19, were before Mallow District Court on Tuesday.

Three men charged in connection with a family feud in Charleville, north Cork, were remanded on bail until March 12 to await Director of Public Prosecution directions.

Sonny O’Neill, 45, Mark O’Neill, 43, and Davey O’Neill, 19, were before Mallow District Court on Tuesday.

Another man charged with possession of a slash hook and criminal damage in relation to the alleged feud, John Meehan, 23, remains in custody.

The men were charged following an early morning garda raid in Charleville this month as part of an investigation into a feud between two rival families in North Cork.

Houses and cars were damaged in a series of attacks and gardaí feared that the violence could escalate.

The men previously appeared before Judge Colm Roberts at Midleton District Court on January 11 facing charges including possession of a slash hook and criminal damage.

Some 60 gardaí were involved in the raid and searched seven homes that morning.

Mr Meehan, of 7 Corrin View, Ballyhea, Charleville, was charged with having a slash hook with a sharply pointed blade on January 8, at Mark O Neill's home at Batt Donegan Place, Charleville.

He was also charged with criminal damage, having allegedly damaged a front door and window of a house on that date and at that address.

Det Garda Gary Costello objected to bail for Mr Meehan, whose mother is an O’Driscoll, and bail was refused.

“The accused is involved in a feud between the O’Neill and O’Driscoll families — there have been multiple incidents of criminal damage in this feud and the level of violence has escalated and there is a risk of somebody suffering serious bodily harm if it continues,” said Det Garda Costello.

Mr Meehan denied involvement in the feud through his solicitor, Charlie O'Connor.

Mark O’Neill, of 46 Batt Donegan Place, Charleville, Co Cork, was charged with criminal damage on January 4, at Ballysallagh, Charleville. He allegedly damaged a rear passenger side window of a Toyota Avensis car.

His son, Davey O’Neill, 19, of 46 Batt Donegan Place, Charleville, was charged with damaging property — a Nissan Qashqai — on January 3 at Ballysallagh, Charleville.

He was also charged with threatening a man at Gough’s Pub, Main St, Charleville, intending to cause fear that a threat would be carried out to damage property, contrary to Section 3 of the Criminal Damage Act 1991.

Sonny O’Neill, 45, of 16 St Brendan’s Drive, Charleville, was also charged with criminal damage.

It was alleged that Mr O’Neill damaged the bumper of a woman’s Toyota Avensis car with a slash hook.