Insults traded between Traveller families at a wedding ended in a riot in a field in Galway city. It was reminiscent of a battle scene in Braveheart, a garda said in Galway Circuit Criminal yesterday.
Over 100 Travellers, armed with slash hooks, machetes, iron bars, nail-studded baseball bats, hurleys and batons, gathered for a prearranged pitched battle at Castle Park at about 7 p.m on July 5th, 2001. They were settling a row which had been simmering since a wedding in Co Clare some months earlier.
Sgt Pádraig Dolan said more than 30 members of the Donovan clan, from Gort and Galway, were on one side of the green, while up to 80 members of the Ward, Sweeney and McDonagh clans from Galway city were on the other side.
There were shouts from both sides before they charged at each other. The riot lasted for almost an hour and yesterday gardaí displayed in court the 50 weapons confiscated.
Sgt Dolan said he and six colleagues tried to disperse the crowd but were outnumbered. It was a terrifying experience and it took reinforcements from outlying districts to end the riot.
Thirty-four Travellers were originally charged with public affray, but just eight of them were sent for trial. They all pleaded guilty to public affray.
The eight were Derek Ward, Camilaun Park; Thomas Donovan, Lios na Rún; Eddie Ward, Castle Park; Lawrence Ward, Newcastle; Michael O'Loughlin, Bohermore; Eddie Joseph Ward, Bohermore; Brendan Sweeney, Bohermore; and Michael Ward, Headford Road, all of Galway.
The court heard that retired superintendent Mr Tony Finnerty had brokered a peace deal and there had been no trouble since.
Judge Harvey Kenny sentenced all eight to two years in prison, suspended for four years on condition they remained conviction free for four years.