As many as 10 Traveller families may be involved in violent feuds in Ennis, a court has heard.
At Ennis district court, solicitor Tara Godfrey said she had been told by a garda that up to “10 Traveller families” are involved in different feuds.
Ms Godfrey was representing a 41-year-old Ennis man who gardaí allege is one of the “main aggressors and instigators” in one of the feuds.
Patrick McDonagh, a married father of eight with an address at Dun Na hÍnse, Lahinch Road, Ennis, appeared in court charged in connection with a violent incident in the Considine Road area of Cloughleigh on Tuesday night, December 13.
McDonagh, faces two charges of criminal damage and a further charge of producing a weapon during the course of an offence, contrary to section 11 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.
Judge Mary Larkin refused McDonagh’s application for bail and remanded him in custody.
Detective Garda Brendan Rouine of Ennis garda station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution and said the accused made no reply to each of the charges after caution.
Detective Rouine said it will be alleged that the accused used a slash hook to damage the car of his second cousin, also named Patrick McDonagh, while the car was parked outside the alleged victim’s home on Considine Road.
Detective Rouine said it will also be alleged Patrick McDonagh (41) (Dun Na hÍnse), also attacked the car of another second cousin, Michael McDonagh.
Michael McDonagh was sitting in the car near his home on Considine Road and was forced to reverse away from the accused while the slash hook was “embedded” in the window, the court heard.
Detective Rouine said it will be alleged the incident is “part of an ongoing feud between two families” and “tensions between both feuding parties are extremely high”.
The detective said the alleged victims of Tuesday night’s incident have “nothing to do with the feud” but members of the wider McDonagh family are allegedly involved.
Detective Rouine said, “My view is that Patrick McDonagh (Dun Na hÍnse) is one of the main aggressors and instigators in this feud”. He added that he had concerns if bail was granted.
“The proximity of those families and the extended families would be a cause for concern”, he said.
Detective Rouine said he is also “concerned” about the impact feud-related incidents are having on the wider community in Ennis.
Detective Rouine agreed with Ms Godfrey that the alleged victims in the case are not involved in the feud.
Ms Godfrey said she had been told by a garda that up to 10 Traveler families are involved in feuds and that many of the parties are related.
Ms Godfrey said her client would say that the incident on Tuesday “was not a feud-related incident” and relates instead to the accused’s mental health problems.
“This is in a different category. It is not feud-related,” Ms Godfrey added.
In reply to a question from Judge Larkin, Ms Godfrey said her client would not be giving sworn evidence in the bail hearing.
Detective Rouine said, “Judge, I think there is no doubt this is part of the ongoing feud. This is my belief”.
Detective Rouine confirmed to Sergeant Aiden Lonergan that the matter has been subject to an “intensive” garda investigation and no other reason has been established to explain McDonagh’s alleged behaviour on December 13.
Addressing Ms Godrey, Judge Larkin said, “Gardaí believe he is involved in a feud. You are telling me, even though he won’t give evidence, it is not a feud – it is mental health issues”.
Judge Larkin refused bail and remanded the accused in custody to appear via video-link in court on December 21.