A CASE in Tuam District Court in which 34 people are being charged with assault and other offences has been adjourned until May 6th.
At the end of the eighth day of the hearing yesterday, Judge John Neilan urged members of the travelling community not to leave a legacy of hatred to the next generation.
Most of the 34 defendants have the surname of Ward and have addresses in Tuam, Athenry and Galway. They face charges including common assault, offences under the Public Order Act and having dangerous weapons on June 2nd and 3rd last year.
Suggestions that Mr Bernie Ward was king of the travellers have affected his landscaping business, said defence solicitor, Mr Gerard Gannon, asking that Judge Neilan rule that challenges, to him should not be issued or accepted.
"Mr Bernie Ward does not, claim to be king of the travelling community and he has no interest in being king," he said, adding that he was announcing Mr Ward's abdication for the benefit of anyone who believed he was king.
Warning those involved to mind their tongues and their manners", Judge Neilan said anyone who tried to undermine the court would be met with a "ferocious challenge".
A witness, Ms Marguerite McDonagh, had broken down several times in the witness box when describing how she was allegedly hit with a spade on the back of the head by Mr Patrick Ward and her nose was broken when Mr Denis Ward allegedly hit her "full blast in the face" with a rock at alleged rioting at a Mr Bernie Mongan's funeral on June 2nd.
She denied a suggestion by Mr Sean Acton, solicitor, that her family expected the Mongans, from Dublin, to arrive at the funeral and "were quite prepared for retaliation".