Bare-knuckle fist fighters given suspended sentences

Two men who caused a riot when they took part in a prearranged bare knuckle fist fight which attracted up to 200 spectators in a halting site on the outskirts of Galway city three years ago were each given suspended two-year sentences at Galway Circuit Criminal Court on Wednesday.

Several video clips of the illegal fight, which took place at Carrowbrowne Halting Site, Headford Road, Galway, at 3pm on Tuesday, June 12th, 2012, are posted on You Tube and show the accused Patrick “Jaws” Ward, now aged 41, engage in a six-minute fist fight with Barney “The Gorilla” McGinley, now 37.

Ward, who lived in Rahoon, Galway, at the time of the offence but who now lives in Loughrea with his wife and seven children, pleaded guilty in December 2013 to committing an affray in that he and his co-accused, Barney McGinley, used or threatened to use unlawful violence towards each other at Carrowbrowne Halting Site, Headford Road, Galway on Tuesday, June 12th, 2012.

When Ballinasloe native McGinley, with addresses in Derry, Ennis and the UK, was initially charged with affray on the day of the incident, he had replied, “I came to Galway to box Paddy “Jaws” Ward.

“I took his title from him today and then they turned into mad men.”

He pleaded guilty to the same charge of affray last year when extradited from the UK.

Ward claimed in court in 2013 that he had not wanted to fight McGinley, but he had been taunted by phone and on You Tube by McGinley to the rematch of a fight which Ward had won in 2008.

He said his family had also been threatened and he had no choice but to fight.

McGinley had absconded to the UK when given bail two days after the fight, but consented to his extradition and was arrested on his return by Det Sgt Paudie O’Shea on March 24th last year.

He remained in custody for five weeks before getting bail.

Prearranged fight

Outlining the incident, Sgt O’Shea told the sentence hearing that gardaí carried out patrols when they became aware there might be a prearranged fight taking place that day.

He and two colleagues noticed people leaving cars near Carrowbrowne Halting Site.

Up to 200 spectators, some of them children, had gathered at the halting site. They had blocked the roads by abandoning cars and vans everywhere in an attempt to stop gardaí gaining access.

When a small number of gardaí managed to get there they were threatened that if they interfered with the prearranged fight the crowd would turn on them.

Sgt Grace Hennessy had told the initial hearing in 2013, that Ward entered the playground area and began fighting McGinley. The crowd, she said, formed a tight ring around them and began jeering and roaring them on.

The fight lasted six minutes, until Ward knocked the other man to the ground with a punch.

A spectator then struck and knocked Ward’s father to the ground, and at that, Ward struck the contestant who was still on the ground.

“This incensed the crowd and chaos erupted. Missiles such as rocks, golf clubs and wooden stakes were thrown. Gardaí had to draw their batons,” Sgt Hennessy said at the time.

Spectators continued to hurl missiles at each other for about 45 minutes as gardaí tried to direct them out of the halting site, and both Ward and McGinley had also hurled missiles at each other, she said.

Sgt O’Shea said once the fight broke down, very serious violence erupted. He saw McGinley pick up a rock and throw it at Ward and then Ward pulled a stake out of the ground and threw it at McGinley.

Both men were arrested at the scene.

Two gardaí recorded the incident on their mobile phones and it was captured on the halting site’s CCTV.

The initial hearing had heard Sgt O’Shea say McGinley was known as Barney “The Gorilla” McGinley. He is married with 10 children and now lives in the UK.

“He was involved in ongoing organised fights within the Traveller community and has a reputation for that.

“He took part in a prearranged fight in the UK for the title of King of the Gypsies as well,” Sgt O’Shea added.

The court was told neither man had come to Garda attention since this incident.

Given up boxing

McGinley’s barrister told the court his client had completely given up boxing. He had also shaken hands with Ward and there was no antagonism between them now.

McGinley, the court heard, had arrived from England the day before the fight by ferry along with a number of supporters, and he had left the jurisdiction because threats had been made against him.

Imposing sentence on Wednesday, Judge Rory McCabe said both accused had not come to Garda attention since this incident, and very positive probation reports on both had been handed into court.

He explained that, to act as a deterrent, he was suspending the two-year sentence for two years in each case on condition that both accused be of good behaviour for two years.