Travellers involved in clan warfare in Co Galway have too much time on their hands and get too much money, a judge sitting in special session at Tuam District Court said this week.
"These people shouldn't be let in anywhere when they can't conduct themselves. I'm fed up of it," Judge Michael Connellan said after hearing prosecutions against members of the travelling community who were involved in several disturbances in Tuam. "These people are at it the whole time, and the only way to stop it is to imprison them, and that is what I'm going to do," he said.
"These people have no respect for law and order," he went on. His comments came after hearing evidence against three men, John (26) and David McDonagh (24), of Weir Road, and Michael Ward (50), Tirboy, all of whom pleaded not guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace at Tuam Labour Exchange on March 5th last.
Judge Connellan jailed each of the defendants for two months and fixed recognisances in the event of an appeal.
In a separate case the judge fined Denis Ward (24), with addresses at Gilmartin Road, a total of £1,500 when he pleaded guilty to charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of a slash-hook on June 2nd and 3rd, 1996.
The court was told the defendant was involved in a riot at Tuam cemetery, where he picked up a stone and hit a woman in the face, breaking her nose. Sgt Martin Connor said the incident occurred during an itinerant funeral when one of the McDonaghs allegedly stepped on a Ward grave.
The sergeant said there were up to 400 people fighting in the graveyard. He separated the Wards and McDonaghs, and as the McDonaghs were leaving the cemetery they were pelted with stones.
Replying to Mr Gerry Gannon, defending, he said a peace deal had been brokered between both sides by Supt Bill Fennell in September.
Evidence was also given that Denis Ward was in possession of a slash-hook at the McDonagh home the following day.
Garda Jim Elliffe said Edward McDonagh jnr had an indentation on his forehead which could have been caused by the weapon, and his arm had also been cut open. There were more than 100 people armed with pick-axes, iron bars, hammers, stones and slash-hooks on the road outside the McDonagh home, and a riot was in progress.
Judge Connellan said this was a complete act of savagery showing little or no respect for the dead, even if it appeared one side took up arms over somebody standing on a grave. Mr Gannon urged the judge to keep the balance of peace which now prevailed by being merciful to his client.
Judge Connellan imposed a six-month sentence on Ward for assault occasioning actual bodily harm to Marguerite McDonagh, suspended on him entering a bond to keep the peace for two years. He also fined him £500.
A similar penalty was imposed on Ward for the assault on Edward McDonagh jnr, and for possession of the slash-hook he was fined £500 and was given a nine-month sentence, suspended on him entering a bond to keep the peace for three years.
In a further case Judge Connellan fined Charles Ward, of Tirboy, £250 and bound him to the peace for a year for assaulting David McDonagh, who it was claimed sustained a broken nose in a row at the Square on January 10th last.
Arising out of the same incident, David McDonagh (24), of Weir Road, was fined £150 for assaulting Noel Sweeney and £50 for a breach of public order; Charles Ward (18), of Gilmartin Road, was bound to the peace for 12 months for breaching the Public Order Act; and Noel Sweeney (26), Gilmartin Road, was jailed for three months for damaging the door of Cafolla's Restaurant and was given two months concurrent for a public order offence.
In a fourth incident on March 2th, it was alleged, Owen Ward, of Tirboy, threatened Marguerite McDonagh and her brother, John, with a knife at the Square and at Church View.
However, when searched by Garda Kevin Noone, he had no weapon on him.
Fining Owen Ward £200 for a breach of public order the judge said his advice to the people before the court was to have manners when on the streets of Tuam.