Videos that have been circulated on social media have revealed the extent of tensions among feuding families in Ennis.
The videos show acts of serious criminality, including a petrol bomb attack and another planned attack on a caravan at a halting site, as well threats to kill.
These videos, which have been circulated locally and seen by Clare FM, have been posted on a variety of social media accounts, or circulated via WhatsApp.
It’s understood they were all filmed this month.
In one, a number of people can be seen throwing petrol bombs into one halting site, located on the outskirts of Ennis.
The petrol bombs do result in fires starting at the site, but it’s understood there were no injures, even though the site was occupied at the time.
A caption posted with the video describes the act as a “warning” to some of those living there.
Other videos contain challenges to fights, and threats to attack or even kill people – in one case, threats are made against “men, women and children.”
Other acts of violence on display include a night-time attack on a halting site in which a caravan was badly damaged, or a daytime fight in a residential area of Ennis between two men, at least one of whom is brandishing a knife.
Other videos come from a live online broadcast of an attempted brawl between two groups in the Drumcliffe area, again during daylight hours – it’s not clear if there was any physical altercations on the day in question.
Gardaí have declined to comment on the videos, except to say that a number of the incidents in question are the subject of ongoing investigations.
It’s also understood that a Traveller Mediation Service has been liaising between some of the families involved over recent weeks.
