Garda progress in feud saga

GARDAÍ investigating two separate feuds – ongoing in the city for the past few months – arrested two people on Wednesday in relation to a ‘confrontation’ that occurred in the Newcastle area last week.

The Galway City Tribune has learned that a father and son were arrested by Gardaí in relation to alleged assaults and criminal damage on Monday evening last week in the Cluainín Estate, Inishannagh Park.

Both men are expected to appear in court in relation to the incidents which involved a group of up to ten people around 7pm on Monday week last.

In the row which developed, a number of men received minor injuries before Gardaí arrived on the scene and broke up the melee.

It is understood that in the aftermath of the row – which began after a group of men drove into the estate – a number of complaints of alleged assaults were made to the Gardaí.

The latest incident is understood to be related to a long-running feud between two extended family groups in the city which has been the subject of mediation efforts, both in the city area and in Tuam, over recent weeks.

There had been a ‘lull’ in this dispute since Christmas until this latest incident erupted and Gardaí have appealed for any witnesses or anyone with information on Monday night’s fracas to make contact with them at Galway Garda Station, Mill Street, 091-538000 or the Garda Confidential Telephone Line on 1800-666-111.

Meanwhile in a separate feud involving two family groups, Gardaí are investigating an attempt to set fire to a pick-up truck at the Radharc na Gréine Estate on the old Monivea Road.

A front window of the vehicle was smashed, an accelerant was poured on the front sides, and was then set on fire – however the owners of the vehicle managed to put out the fire before any serious damage was done to the vehicle.

Gardaí who arrested three people shortly after a serious arson attack on a house in Castle Park in the early hours of February 3 last are confident that court proceedings will follow.

The three from the Greater Dublin area – two men in their twenties and a juvenile – were questioned last Friday at the Murrough Garda HQ under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

They were subsequently released without being charged with files now being forwarded to the DPP in relation to alleged criminal damage and arson offences.

Gardaí are also understood to be pursuing a definite line of inquiry in relation to a fourth man who was involved in the Castle Park house burning incident.

The family in the house at Castle Park – a mother and her three children, two of them adults and one juvenile – escaped via the back of their house after the front window and door were smashed in around 2am.

The attackers – possibly up to four men – doused the front room of the house with an accelerant, probably petrol, before setting it alight.

Units of Galway Fire Brigade, Gardaí and the ambulance service were at the scene shortly afterwards after the four people in the house – who were asleep upstairs at the time – escaped via a shed roof at the back of the property.

The residents were taken to University Hospital Galway for treatment for smoke inhalation – they are all understood to have been released the following day.

Another arson attack took place on Sunday night, February 6, close to another house in the Castle Park area, where a Ford Mondeo car was burnt out by two men who sped away from the scene at high speed.

The attackers also broke a front window of the house, but this time did not attempt to burn it down – Gardaí have appealed for anyone with dash cam footage or any witnesses who were in the Castle Park area on Sunday night last around 11.30pm to make contact with them. (091-538000) or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666-111.

An ongoing feud between two gangs is thought to be behind the latest arson attacks – some of the gang members are also understood to have connections with local and national illegal drugs movements.

On January 30 last, an Audi A6 car was set alight in the Garran Ard estate in Doughiska while the attackers also attempted to set fire to the house beside where the car was parked.

The front door of the house and a rooftop Velux window were doused with fuel before being set alight – the front door of the house and the window were damaged in the incident.

Garda Detective Superintendent, Shane Cummins, has made a renewed appeal for assistance in trying to bring to an end the series of arson attacks – and a car ramming incident that occurred before Christmas at Bothar na dTreabh.

“These are acts of reckless endangerment where a real threat to human life is involved. We are devoting major resources into our investigations of these incidents; we have made a number of arrests; and we are pursuing a number of further lines of inquiry.

“In addition to that we have increased Garda patrols in certain areas of the city and we are appealing for anyone who notices any suspicious activity or who may information or dash cam footage that could be of assistance to us, to make contact with any Garda they know or any Garda station,” said Det. Supt. Cummins.

Meanwhile, in what could be a third such feud in the Galway area, Gardaí in Loughrea, have confirmed an arson attack on a house in the town, where the front window was broken, petrol was poured inside the front room of the house and it was then set alight.

The incident occurred at around 6am on Thursday morning with the family in the house – including a number of young children – making their escape, via the back door of the residence.