'Like living in a gangster movie': Locals tell of shock at violent incident in Cork suburb

Gated entrance to Virgin Media Park severely damaged by crash, with panels of sheeted steel completely removed

Gardaí attended the scene of a road traffic road collision outside Virgin Media Park on Tuesday. Picture: Red FM

Locals in Ballyphehane have been left shaken following a car chase across the suburb on Cork's southside that resulted in a crash outside Virgin Media Park (Musgrave Park) on Tuesday evening.

An Garda Síochána confirmed that a “road traffic collision” took place in the area at 8.30pm and that inquiries into the incident are ongoing.

The gated entrance to Virgin Media Park on Tramore Rd has been severely damaged by the car crash, with panels of sheeted steel completely removed.

Locals who spoke about the incident declined to use their full names for fear of possible criminal reprisal.

One man, John, described a scene in which masked men in balaclavas exited a white van on Pearse Rd and proceeded to damage an occupied car with bats and iron bars.

“They started hitting this car. Now with that, the car sped up onto a footpath and blew one of these guys up into the air,” John told the Irish Examiner.

“He landed on the bonnet. He was hanging on for dear life. The car sped off, braked subtly, which pulled him off onto the road.” 

John said the wing and door of his car were damaged by the speeding vehicles, and he can no longer open one of its front doors.

He described the incident as “mindless thuggery” and said Pearse Rd, which normally feels like a safe haven, is becoming more dangerous.

“I know it’s drug related,” he said.

The Tramore Road entrance to Virgin Media Park, Ballyphehane was damaged in the wake of the crash. Photo: Alex Cunningham

Many locals struck a similar sentiment. 

One woman said watching the incident take place was “like living in a gangster movie” and that “it was surreal". 

Another man who has lived almost all of his life on the Pearse Rd said the incident felt like a further escalation from a previous petrol bomb attack in the suburb earlier this year.

“Nothing ever happens here, this is just nuts,” he said.

Sheila, who did not want to use her real name, has also lived in the area for decades. She said she saw two young men walking down the road, before hearing a series of loud bangs, and then saw a car speeding off.

“Seeing the car speed off, it was like a Formula 1 car,” she said.

Politicians have also voiced concern over the incident.

“It is shocking to hear of this kind of criminal activity, and by all accounts it is miraculous that pedestrians or children playing were not hit by the cars travelling at high speed,” said Sinn Féin TD for Cork South Central Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire.

“It is appalling that residents have had cars damaged and witnessed such scenes.” 

Green Party councillor Dan Boyle said the incident was “very much out of the blue".

He said: “The idea of cars racing up and down them, and people choosing to use it as a some kind of a death course or something like that, is something that is causing a lot of concern in the area."

An Garda Síochána was contacted for comment.