A total of eight people were arrested today after a riot involving 200 people in Mullingar Co Westmeath.
Several people were hospitalised after a dispute between two Traveller families escalated into violence. One person was treated head injuries, which are not life threatening, and a number of others were treated for lacerations to arms and faces.
The disturbance started at noon in the Dalton Park estate on the east side of Mullingar. Two petrol bombs were thrown and one house was badly damaged during the altercation, which was described locally as a full-blown riot. The window of an official Garda vehicle was also smashed.
Gardaí from Mullingar, reinforcements from surrounding areas and the Garda air support unit were called in to bring the situation under control.
The initial dispute later spread to the Midlands Regional Hospital, with further altercations between the same families.
Gardaí arrested three men and a woman on public order offences during the Dalton Park disturbance and four men were held at the hospital. The woman was later released.
Seven men were due to appear at a special sitting of Mullingar District Court at 6pm.
The national Traveller organisation, Pavee Point, condemned the violence and denied a "King of the Travellers" fight had sparked it.