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US tourist attacked on Saint Patrick’s Day |
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A TRAVELLER mum this week defended her boys who are being blamed for unleashing a campaign of terror in Tipp town. Helen Delaney’s sons, have been singled out for a long litany of attacks, violence and intimidation which has left innocent victims bruised, battered and hospitalised. Four of her six sons are facing charges after an outcry over violence in the town on Saint Patrick’s Day. Ten people were injured, many of them hospitalised, after a group of young men went on rampage in the town over a period of six hours. But Helen claims her sons have been unfairly singled out despite the litany of calls and eyewitness accounts. “It’s racist against travellers,” she told the Sunday World. “This is our home town as well. People were on the radio saying we were new here. That’s not true. We’re born and reared here,” she added. “We get blamed for everything. It’s an easy way out for them.” The family home at Carrowclough is on the edge of town tucked under the old barracks wall. A statue of the Virgin Mary stands in the drive while the neat lawn is decorated with the model of an old horse-drawn caravan. Helen pointed to the battered doors left after Tuesday morning’s raid. “They didn’t even ring the doorbell, we didn’t know who they were,” she said. She said she was trying to phone the gardai for help as they came through the door while a helicopter hovered overhead. “My husband who is epileptic and has seizures was forced to kneel at gunpoint,” she claimed. Two of her sons, however, were arrested on Public Order charges following a series of attacks in Tipperary town. Gardai made more arrests last Tuesday after a number s of raids including the one at the Delaney’s Carrowclough. The violence featured on Joe Duffy’s Liveline over the past two weeks in which a series of callers recounted tales of violence being meted out by members of the Delaney family. An American tourist who was passing through Tipp town was among those at the receiving end of a gang of thugs who randomly attacked people. Jim Faul, a young Irish-American lawyer from Saint Louis was on holidays with his wife and sister and Tipp town was on their itinerary. “We were walking the streets to see if we could find some traditional music. We saw a fight and as we crossed the street a group of three of four guys followed us.” “When I turned around they began punching me in the face. I was eventually kicked to the ground,” he recalled “I was shocked more than anything it seemed like violence for violence sake,” he added. He was immediately treated after a local woman called an ambulance, but he may still have to get treatment after returning home to the US. “I’m getting along fine. I have to go to the doctor on Monday to see if there is anything that needs to be done about my nose or the possibility of a fracture behind my eye,” he told the Sunday World. “At this point they said I have to be cautious about it still, there’s still a chance that he retina could become detached, but right now it looks as if it’s going to be a full recovery,” he added. Luckily for Jim the attack in Tipperary has not been his only experience in Ireland, having spent a semester at NUI Galway as a student. Tipp town publican and businessman Eamon Ryan told the Sunday World that he wanted to see Jim Faul and his wife make a return trip. “I’ll pick them up from what ever airport they fly into and they can stay in my guest house,” he said. “This publicity has been an awful blow to the town. The Glen of Aherlow nearby is a beautiful place and is probably Ireland’s best kept secret,” he added. The young Saint Louis lawyer said that despite the attack he would back come to holiday in Ireland. “I appreciate the offer. I’m sure I might be back at some point but I’m not in a position to take vacations at will,” said Jim. Callers to Liveline spoke of a litany serious assaults in which people were knocked unconscious and hospitalised after random attacks of violence. One man is reported to have suffered a mental break down as a result of intimidation from violent thugs in the two. Another 78-old man was assaulted by two drunken louts in a cemetery at 8.30am, beaten and robbed. No case ever brought to court despite being investigated by the Gardai, according to the caller. “They have stolen runners and mobile phones from teenagers. People are terrified to go out at the weekend,” one man, who insisted on remaining anonymous, told the Sunday World. Another man with two black eyes and stitches to his head didn’t want to speak about what had happened on St Patrick’s Day. “There’ll be a time and a place for that,” he told the Sunday World. Other locals said the man suffered the injuries as he came to the rescue of his son who was getting beaten by members of the gang. Inspector Paschal Feeney of Tipperary Town Garda Station said he regretted that the reputation of the town may have suffered in recent days in the national media. “We’d hope that it would bring to an end all kinds of anti-social and violent behaviour on the streets of Tipperary,” he told the Tipperary Star. “It's unfortunate that the town is being portrayed, and has been portrayed, in the manner that it is, especially on the national airwaves. Tipperary Town is no different than any other town in Ireland,” he added. Tuesday’s raid involved armed members of the new regional support units, the Garda helicopter and the Garda’s new mobile command and control unit. Gardaí have also taken statements from a number of people assaulted on St Patrick’s Day and some of the incidents were also captured on CCTV. Five men appeared before Tipperary District Court last Wednesday where bail was granted despite garda objections. Detective Inspector William Leahy said a review of the files had shown a pattern of intimidation of witnesses of assault cases in the town. Two men were immediately re-arrested outside the court and appeared at a special sitting of Cashel District Court on Thursday evening charged with assault causing harm. Both have been remanded in custody. - Eamon Dillon 29 March, 2009. eamon.dillon@sundayworld.com |
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