Man (22) arrested over Traveller feud attack at Cork service station

Three men with hurleys assaulted victim in Blarney and posted video online

Gardaí have arrested a man (22) for questioning about an assault on another man in a service station in Cork amid a feud between two Traveller families in the city.

Detectives arrested the suspect at the Hollyhill halting site on Cork's northside at 9am on Friday and brought him to Gurranebraher Garda Station where he is being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Officers are questioning him about an assault at the Blarney service station at around 10.30am on Thursday when three men attacked a man, punching, kicking and hitting him with a hurley.

The injured man was taken Cork University Hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and later discharged.

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The attack was captured on CCTV, and the assailants filmed the assault and posted it on social media on Thursday in a challenge to the rival family in the three-month long feud between the Traveller families.

The victim, who is in his 20s, later posted a response on social media to the attack.

Last week, gardaí charged one man from either faction in the feud with making threats to kill or seriously injure each other after both sides posted messages on social media on April 6th.

Det Gda John Gleeson said the man (33) he had arrested at the Spring Lane Halting site in Blackpool had threatened a member of the other family on his Facebook page.

Det Det Garda Pat Barry said the man (24)he had arrested in Knocknaheeny had similarly threatened the other man in a social media posting.

Gardaí objected to bail for both accused and, following consideration of submissions from defence solicitors Frank Buttimer and Thomas Coughlan, Judge Olann Kelleher refused bail and remanded both accused in custody.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times