Traveller bias claims mar scenes of euphoria

Euphoric scenes on the streets of John Joe Nevin’s hometown of Mullingar were marred by allegations of discrimination against Travellers yesterday.

John Joe’s mother Winnie and other close relatives left the Co Westmeath town to watch the fight in a pub on its outskirts following a dispute at a public house.

While a parade has been organised to welcome John Joe home on Monday, Mrs Nevin said he has requested all pubs to shut during the homecoming.

According to Mrs Nevin, the family had arranged to watch the fight at Danny Byrne’s pub, where she believed between 50 and 60 relatives were guaranteed entry. However, on arriving at the pub yesterday morning, she claims they were told they would be strictly limited to 10 male and 10 female family members.

“It’s a disgrace. Not the people of Mullingar, I was watching it on television and there was a queer atmosphere in Mullingar at the Market Square, and fair play to the Mullingar people, but not the pubs, the pubs is a disgrace,” she said.

Management at Danny Byrne’s denied imposing a limit or having an arrangement with the Nevins.

“No prior arrangements whatsoever were made and there was nobody told that they were limited,” said a spokesman.

“One of the guys threatened a barman and he was asked to leave and they all left. We would like to congratulate John Joe Nevin on his wonderful success and wish him all the best.”

Mrs Nevin and dozens of other family members watched the fight at the Covert Bar and Restaurant in Multyfarnham, a few miles from Mullingar.

She thanked management at The Covert but remained upset with Mullingar’s publicans.

“It’s embarrassing now what they done today... they are using us to get the publicity... fair play to the Mullingar crowd though, and the council, I have nothing bad to say about them,” said Mrs Nevin.

John Joe’s cousin Paddy Nevin praised Danny Byrne’s but said “discrimination is very strong in Mullingar and it’s getting worse as it goes on”.

“Danny Byrne is probably the fairest guy in Mullingar because he did let us in last week.

“We done nothing for us not to get in.

“He let 25 or 30 in this morning and they wanted more in, the rest of the pubs wouldn’t even let one in.

“They left because there was about 40 or 50 guys and he’s being fair enough, he done his share, if everybody let five or 10 or 12 in there wouldn’t be a problem.”

He claimed he would be refused a drink at almost every pub in town.

“Other pubs won’t even give you a glass of water in town. It’s discrimination.

“It’s not the town, it’s the publicans in the town and the council that are dirt.”

While upset about what had happened in Mullingar, Mrs Nevin was delighted by John Joe’s win.

“I’m over the moon. I reckon he’s going to win now, win the gold.

“I was expecting him to lose, I’ll tell you the truth... I said it to him this morning, I said will you go in and fight for fun. John’s thought on it was I have nothing to lose, but in my mind I thought he’d lose.”

As his mother, she said the fights are difficult to look at. “I don’t watch them. I watch about a minute and cover my head with a hat. I was trying to get out today but I couldn’t get out because they were all holding me in.”

Mrs Nevin added: “London was great. You could go into any pub — children — they were great in London. If we went to Cavan at this minute we would get into any pub in Cavan, we would have no problem at all in Cavan.”

Despite the problems during the day, Mrs Nevin said, “I’m glad of Mullingar, what they done for John Joe... I was talking to him just after the fight.

“He is doing this parade for the people of Mullingar, for the council of Mullingar but he’d appreciate, he told us, if the pubs closed from 5.30 to 10 o’clock till the parade is over.”

About 1,500 people watched the fight in Market Square.

Meanwhile, Belfast’s Michael Conlan had to settle for bronze after losing his flyweight semi-final against Cuba’s Robeisy Ramirez Carrazana. Conlan was taking on Carrazana for a place in tomorrow’s gold medal match.

But he slipped behind in the first round as his opponent went on the front foot and dominated proceedings.

Conlan lost all three rounds — 6-3 4-3 and 10-4 — and received a standing count early in the third.