A series of violent incidents have occurred in and around Mullingar in the past fews days, the most recent on Monday night, as a serious family feud involving, it appears, only members of one family, has resulted in open “battles” on streets, in a shopping centre, and in windows and doors in homes and in cars being smashed, and other ‘collateral’ damage.
The Gardai in Mullingar, who are fully aware of all that is going on, have now appointed a specialist garda team, involving detectives and uniformed officers, and they expect to be making arrests as their investigations continue into the latest attacks on people and on property.
Because no official complaints or statements have been made by the parties involved – all members of one extended family – no arrests have taken place as of yet, although Gardaí say arrests relating to the latest incidents are imminent in the coming days.
Mullingar residents are greatly annoyed over the various incidents, involving members of settled traveller families and which have done nothing to help Mullingar’s already tarnished national image, because of previous violent outbreaks of a similar kind over the past number of years, involving feuding between opposing families. These included a “battle” at D’Alton Park, Mullingar and outrageous incidents at Ballyglass Cemetery, Mullingar on Cemetery Sunday.
BROAD DAYLIGHT ATTACKS last week
Criminal damage was caused to houses and cars, men fought openly in a shopping centre, reports of golf clubs being used in an attack on a street in broad daylight and a teenager being attacked were just some of the incidents reported to Gardaí over the past week.
Gardaí say the incidents this week are related to a ‘domestic violence’ incident that was reported a couple of weeks ago, where a man in a house at Patrick Street, Mullingar had attacked a woman in the house. A number of men arrived to the house the following day and proceeded to assault the man inside the house causing severe leg injuries to him. The injured man was brought to Mullingar Hospital where he was treated for his injuries.
It is understood that at times the man requires the use of a wheelchair to get around. Gardaí say the incidents that happened this week are all related to the above incident.
SHOPS CLOSED
The series of shocking incidents this week began on Monday of last week, 20 November, at 3.15pm in Harbour Court shopping centre, Mullingar, when two men fought openly in the shopping complex. It is believed the two men attempted to trade punches and that one woman may have got caught in the ‘crossfire’.
Shoppers and onlookers were shocked at the behaviour and some business people closed their shops immediately in fear of what might happen.
The two men were separated by security staff in the shopping centre, but they then made their way into the car park outside, where they continued to shout abuse and obscenties at each other. There were no statements issued or complaints made to the Gardaí by those involved.
Later that Monday night the windows of four houses in Ardilaun, Grange and Raithin were all smashed, between 10pm and 12 midnight.
Last Friday afternoon, 24 November in Patrick Street, just after 3pm, a man and his wife were believed to have been involved in a row with two men who were in a car.
There were conflicting reports as to which party was the attacker but Gardaí understand that a man and a woman may have been struck by golf clubs in the incident which happened at the upper end of Patrick Street. A child that was in the car at the time was not injured, but windows in the car were broken.
Gardaí received numerous 999 calls as the incident unfolded. Three Garda cars with several Gardaí inside arrived on the scene but when questioned, there were no complaints from any of the parties and when the men in the car were questioned they said they were going to play Pitch and Putt. The car was searched and the details of those involved taken.
Then on Saturday last, 25 November at 9.30pm in Grange the windows of a house were smashed and the front door of the house damaged.
Also on Saturday night at 9.40pm a teenager was walking home from a chip shop in Grange when he was hit on the head by another man. Gardaí arrived on the scene and questioned the man who they believe was involved.
On Sunday last, 26 November, a man inside a house in Grange heard a loud noise at 4.30am. When he went outside he saw a man running away and that the windows of his car had been smashed.
The latest incident related to this family feud occurred on Monday night of this week when windows in a house at Friars Mill Road, Mullingar, were broken.
Gardaí say that all the above incidents are family feud related, all involving one extended family.
They have also stated that a special Garda team has been set up to deal with escalating incidents of violence concerning the family feud. Gardaí are still speaking to witnesses of the various incidents and are reviewing CCTV cameras from the areas.
Gardaí know the people involved and have attempted intervention and said that members of the family were brought to Mullingar Garda Station last week but attempts to reason with the various parties proved unsuccessful.
The Gardai have stressed that arrests following these incidents are now ’imminent’.
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