Party-goers dispute Garda's account

Participants at a recent beach party in Connemara have criticised the response by Clifden gardai to the event and have disputed…

Participants at a recent beach party in Connemara have criticised the response by Clifden gardai to the event and have disputed reports that drugs were distributed, Lorna Siggins reports. About 30 uniformed and plainclothes gardai arrived on Dunloughan beach at Ballyconneely on May 30th and asked party-goers to disperse. They confiscated musical equipment under the Combating the Misuse of Drugs Act. Gardai claimed missiles were thrown, and that two squad cars were damaged during the incident. In a statement, the participants disputed the version of events reported in the press, and said the continued detention of musical equipment has resulted in loss of earnings by the owner. See Paper Round: page 12