Women traveller bare-knuckle fighters

Two traveller women in County Clare, Ireland staged a bare-knuckle fight to end a long-standing grievance

Traveller bare-knuckle shame

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THESE are the incredible scenes of the Ireland’s first traveller bare-knuckle fight between two warring women The bare-knuckle mammies , kicked and clawed each other’s hair in a no-holds barred fight that left them scratched and bruised. Both women launched furious attacks with neither fighter willing to back down as they were roared on to attack. In front of their own kids, other children, their husbands and several men they tore at each other and swung wild punches in the pre-arranged organised bout. Like the men, the fighters had a ‘fair-play man’ to referee the gruelling encounter which from the start was very clearly a grudge match. But the traditional style of trading punches without a break was soon ditched

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as the women dragged each other to the ground by the hair, swapping heavy blows on the ground.

Eventually, after 15 minutes of punishing combat, their relatives persuaded the pair to stop the brutal scrap and urged them to shake hands.
Reluctantly, they briefly shook hands, but their facial expressions left no doubt that a re-match would be on the cards. A well-known traveller figure, John Joyce, acted as ‘fair-play’ man to the fighters and provided a running commentary to the astonishing video. “A fight to the death,” he roars as the women trade blows. Then as the pair grapple, claw and punch on the ground he says: “Dig in hard, girls, you’ll be on the internet tonight.” He told the Sunday World this week that the fight was organised to end a bitter dispute between the women. Asked if the pair had settled their argument since the fight three weeks ago, he replied: “No. He added that while some people’ had staked bets on the fight he wasn’t aware how much had been wagered. Joyce has plenty experience of bare-knuckle bouts as the older brother of infamous traveller fighter Joe ‘The Hulk’ Joyce. He told the Sunday World that members of the Joyce clan are preparing to do battle with fighters from the Nevin clan in Mullingar and the Keenans of Cork. The two women shaped up to each other in a green area at Beechpark in Ennis on 25 August in a bid to end a simmering row between the two women, both in their 30s. Joyce explains on camera that fight is between Rosie Quinn Molloy and Winnie Sherlock. “I hope it goes good. I’m here to show fair play - the best woman wins,” said John Joyce to laughter from other men.

When the fight gets going Joyce encourages the women to “go on, go on.” Neither women hold back, immediately flailing punches, swinging wildly until both get to grips with each others hair. Both women end up on the ground with Rosie Quinn on top trying hard to smack her opponent in the face. They remain locked in combat each trying to land punches on the other face’s, unable to release their grip with out leaving their defences open. “Go on , go girls, go on. We’ll have a better one now when you get up. Dig in harder, you’ll be on the internet tonight,” exhorts Joyce. “I’m not beat,” Winnie as she struggles to get out from under Rosie Quinn who has her pinned to the ground. The spectators then struggle to pull the women apart to get them on their feet again. Both women take the opportunity to have their hair tied up again as some of the men continue to snigger and laugh. “Come on, come, you’re getting fresh air, you wasting time,” shouts Joyce in a bid to get the fight going on.” “No break, a fight to the death,” he shouts when the pair resume hostilities.

One traveller told the Sunday World the scenes of the two women fighting had horrified other travellers. “It’s disgusting. That shouldn’t have been allowed to go, not in front of children. It was done for pure devilment,” one man said. Another who knows the families of the women involved blamed the men for letting the fight go ahead. “It wasn’t even a fair fight. They were scratching and biting on the ground. Women shouldn’t be fighting like that - it’s all wrong,” he said.

Eamon Dillon, Sunday World, September 2009.

eamon.dillon@sundayworld.com

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