A 72-year-old publican was recovering yesterday after a group of people went on a rampage in his pub on Sunday night when they were refused drinks after-hours.
The attack, near Swinford in Co Mayo, has prompted calls from the Vintners' Federation of Ireland for the Army to be deployed to control serious public order incidents.
Last week the Fianna Fáil Mayor of Dungarvan, Ms Nuala Ryan, called for the Army to be drafted in to remove a large group of Travellers from illegal encampments in the Co Waterford town.
The attack in Swinford also involved members of the Travelling community, gardaí said.
Mr Paddy O'Neill and his wife, Bridie (69), owners of the Bridge Inn at Ballymiles, near Swinford, Co Mayo, were badly shaken by their treatment at the hands of the 22-strong group.
Glasses were smashed, two plate-glass windows in the premises were broken and the till lay in pieces on the bar floor.
Gardaí said that when the pub's owners locked themselves into the private quarters, the group threw tables and chairs around, damaging both the furniture and stock behind the bar.
A small quantity of stock was taken from the bar but gardaí said they do not believe robbery was the motive. "The most frightening aspect of this was the intimidation involved from such a large group," said a Garda source.
The incident occurred after the large group, believed to be English or from Northern Ireland, arrived in a convoy of vehicles. The group is known to Mayo gardaí. After being served drinks shortly after 10.30 p.m., the group adjourned to a pool room at the rear and barricaded themselves in by pushing furniture up against the door.
One of the pub's regular customers went outside and rang the gardaí in Swinford on his mobile.
"They were getting noisy, getting rowdy and we knew there would be trouble in getting them out," Mr O'Neill said yesterday.
He added that after a number of calls, three gardaí arrived in a patrol car but took no action to move the group even though it was after official closing time.
Mr O'Neill said he asked the gardaí not to leave as he and his wife felt vulnerable, but they said they had to go and would return. The proprietor then contacted his son, Pat, in Castlebar and he arrived on the scene.
Trouble erupted when the group refused to leave and then began demanding more drink. Mr Pat O'Neill (Jnr) said one of them threatened to "glass me" with an empty glass and then the group started filling drink themselves .
"I rang the gardaí three times on my mobile," Mr O'Neill said. His father added: "There was nothing we could do. If only the gardaí had not left. There were 11 men in the group, all under 40 and six-footers, real hard-chaws."
According to the O'Neills, seven gardaí arrived after 1 a.m. when it was "too late". Gardaí said they responded to a call late on Sunday night but when a number of officers got to the bar, there was no disturbance under way. They left and returned later after receiving further calls. However, by the time they reached the pub the trouble makers had left.
Mr Chris Lavelle, chairman of Mayo Vintners' Federation, and Mr Pat Rouse, a member of the VFI's National Executive, visited the Bridge Inn yesterday morning to lend the O'Neill's support and guidance.
Mr Lavelle said: "The O'Neills should not have to deal with a situation like this on their own at this stage of their lives. If the gardaí can't handle situations like these, the Army should be called in."