Five arrested and weapons seized following violent disorder incident in Cork

Garda raids were mounted after an incident in Hollyhill when a gang of masked and hooded men armed with baseball bats and slash hooks chased two men into a busy shop

A screengrab from one of the videos showing a group of men attempting to attack a pair of men at SuperValu in Hollyhill on Monday. Picture: Twitter/X

Five men have been arrested and weapons have been seized during a series of coordinated Garda raids in Cork on Friday, following a violent disorder incident linked to a Traveller feud.

The five, who range in age from their late teens to 20s, are all being questioned at Garda stations in the southern region, with three charged and due to appear in Cork District Court on Friday afternoon.

The raids were mounted by gardaí investigating an incident in Hollyhill, on the city's northside, on Monday afternoon, when a gang of masked and hooded men armed with baseball bats and slash hooks chased two men into a busy shop and attacked one man as he hid behind a counter.

Minutes later, a van rammed a car in the car park outside.

As part of an ongoing Garda investigation into that violent disorder incident and related criminal activities, gardaí, said they conducted a major search and arrest operation on Friday morning.

Gardaí from the Cork City Division assisted by the Armed Support Unit conducted searches at four residential properties in the city.

Five men were arrested and a large quantity of weapons was recovered during the searches.

A separate Garda investigation is under way into another violent disorder incident in Carrigaline on Tuesday, during which a house was attacked.

Traveller rights groups say they stand ready to support anyone affected by the serious escalation of a family feud, which has seen violence spill onto the streets.

The Cork Traveller Visibility Group (TVG) and the Cork Traveller Women’s Network (CTWN) issued a joint statement on Wednesday saying they "stand in solidarity with all the innocent victims of the current conflict”.

“CTWN and TVG never condone violence or criminality of any kind but will always support those marginalised and victimised by violence and oppression,” they said.

“We understand this is a matter for the gardaí to oversee and resolve and we offer support to Travellers who may be impacted by the current issues."