Feuding Clare Travellers almost ‘Godfatheresque’ in determination to eliminate enemy, TD claims

At a quarterly meeting of the Clare Joint Policing Committee (JPC) in Ennis today, Cathal Crowe recounted one recent flashpoint in a Traveller feud at a Clare retail outlet within a few hundred metres of what he described as "a fabulous family event".

Mr Crowe said: “A feuding faction entered a shop and there was a major incident where there were young kids and families present shopping, buying treats for the nearby family event.

“There were weapons brought in and when there is such an incident, we see people fuelled with venomous rage.

“They don’t care who is around them and they are oblivious to the families present and they are intent on causing damage and killing someone in that moment. It is very serious.”

Mr Crowe said that he hopes “the book is thrown at those involved”.

“It is very serious and it doesn’t happen in an isolated way,” he said.

“It happens very often. It is almost Godfatheresque in the determination to do whatever it takes to take out their enemy.”

Fine Gael TD Joe Carey told the meeting that a recent incident concerning a Traveller feud in the Ennis area “is criminal behaviour at its worst, happening at all hours of the night and having a really detrimental impact on local communities who are just innocent bystanders”.

Mr Carey said that incidents have involved slash-hooks and other materials, cars being broken up and open fighting on the streets.

“We need a special operation in this county to stamp out this unwelcome activity,” he said.

In response, Chief Supt Sean Colleran of the Clare Garda Division told the JPC meeting that “significant investigations” are continuing concerning feud matters.

Chief Supt Colleran said gardaí have multiple strands of investigations concerning such incidents and “there are a significant amount of people already before the courts”.

He said there will always be a delay from the incidents to the outcome in the courts.

“We are taking a very targeted approach to the multiple incidents of criminality throughout the whole county and are we are taking a very pro-active approach,” he said.