'Family feud': Four men charged after garda raid in Charleville 

One man remanded in custody with three others released on bail until January 23

Mark O'Neill (foreground) leaving the courthouse in Midleton, Co Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

Four men have been charged in court following an early morning garda raid in Charleville as part of an investigation into a feud between two rival families in North Cork.

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

Some 60 gardaí were involved in a raid and searched seven homes after an alleged family feud in Charleville escalated over the Christmas period.

John Meehan, 23, of 7 Corrin View, Ballyhea, Charleville, was charged with possession of a slash hook and criminal damage.

Mr Meehan was charged with having a slash hook with a sharply pointed blade on January 8, at Batt Donegan Place, Charleville, contrary to Section 9(1) and (7) of the Offensive Weapons Act.

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, contrary to Section 2(1) of the Criminal Damage Act 1991.

Det Garda Gary Costello objected to bail for John Meehan, whose mother is an O’Driscoll.

“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.

He said that he was not present when the offences he was charged with - causing criminal damage to a door and window of a house belonging to Mark O Neill at Batt Donegan Place, Charleville and possession of a slash hook - were allegedly committed.

But Det Garda Costello said that gardaí were objecting to bail due to the seriousness of the charge and the strength of the evidence in the case.

Bail was refused and Mr Meehan was remanded in custody to appear before Mallow District Court via videolink on January 16.

Mark O’Neill, 43, 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.

Davey O’Neill, 19, of 46 Batt Donegan Place, Charleville, was charged with damaging property on January 3 at Ballysallagh, Charleville.

A brown Nissan Qashqai vehicle was allegedly damaged, contrary to Section 2(1) of the Criminal Damage Act.

He was also charged with making a threat to man at Gough’s Pub, Main St, Charleville, intending to cause fear, 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.

The three O’Neill men were released on bail until January 23 when they are due to appear in Mallow District Court for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.