A senior Garda officer told a court yesterday that someone could have been killed in a Traveller feud this week if an assortment of "weapons of war" had not been seized.
Details of the feud emerged in Mullingar District Court when bail was refused to Patrick Nevin after gardaí said he might contribute to the worsening of the feud if released.
Mr Nevin was described in court as "one of the ringleaders" by gardaí, but the defendant disputed this description.
The court heard that the feud erupted when a bare-knuckle fight between two men in Mullingar got out of control last Saturday and fighting broke out among spectators.
Mr Patrick Nevin, of O'Growny Drive, Mullingar, told the court fair play was not observed in the bare-knuckle fight, though he was not there.
He said he was only interested in "settling" the feud, but gardaí said he was one of the ringleaders and was "most vocal and abusive" when gardaí called to a local halting site.
"Mr Nevin is one of the leading players in the feud and if he is released, I have no doubt that whatever feuding is still continuing, he will become involved in it," said Insp Denis Shiels.
Mr Nevin appeared in court on charges under Section 4 and 6 of the Public Order Act.
Insp Shiels told the court he had no doubt "there would have been somebody killed" if the warring families had been allowed to clash with these "weapons of war".
The court heard how gardaí attempted to broker a peace deal over Sunday and Monday, but tensions remain high.
Gardaí averted a major clash on Monday evening when Travellers from Longford congregated on one side of Mullingar, while others from Balbriggan gathered on another side.
Two gardaí had gone to the local halting site to calm tensions, but they got a hostile reception. They said Mr Nevin threw money at them, although he told the court he didn't "usually throw money away".
Mr Nevin was remanded in custody in Castlerea Prison until the December 9th sitting of Mullingar District Court.
He told the court he had "settled" the feud on Sunday with brothers Anthony and Tommy Dennigan but that trouble had flared again when the windows of a house were broken that night.