Published: Tuesday, 29th July, 2008 12:00pm

Petrol bombs thrown in town"s latest traveller fight

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A petrol bomb was thrown, and sticks, stones, ice-hockey sticks, shovels, hatchets, iron bars, and even machetes used in a disturbance at D"Alton Park in Mullingar this morning Tuesday.

In scenes reminiscent of Belfast or the Bogside at the time of the Troubles the riot in the normally peaceful Mullingar estate is understood to have kicked off initially on Monday afternoon but intensified this morning, when up to sixty males converged on the D"Alton Park area, and began a full-scale riot.

It is understood that the row is between two families who have a long-running feud, but other parties became involved as the row escalated. This latest outbreak of violence is believed to have its roots in an incident which occurred in Co. Meath on Monday, in which a member of one of the feuding parties is believed to have sustained serious injuries.

An initial party of Gardai from Mullingar, including Sergeant in Charge, Pat Gallagher arrived within minutes of the initial reports and they were forced to call in re-inforcements as the scale of the incident became clear.

Urgent despatches were sent to stations throughout the midlands, including Athlone, Longford, Granard and Tullamore and both uniformed and plainclothes Gardai, some of whom were armed, rushed to the scene. The Garda Air Support Unit was contacted and the Ballydonnell based helicopter arrived a short time later and at time of going to press was still hovering above Dalton Park.

While there was a lull in the hostilities just before lunch, a large force of Gardaí are still in attendance at the scene as efforts are made to identify the principal parties involved in the disturbance. Gardai have confirmed that one man was detained early in the riot. It is understood a number of people have received injuries for which they will have to receive medical treatment.

No Gardaí have been injured, although there has been damage caused to a number of Garda squad cars. The males - of varying ages, from young children right up to those of pension age - were engaged in the fracas, which centred on the green area in D"Alton Park.

Gardai from all over the region were called in to the estate, and were wearing stab-proof vests.

The Garda Air Support unit was down to assist at the scene, and there were up to ten squad cars in attendance. The HSE had ambulances on standby, and there were at least two fire tenders from Westmeath Fire and Rescue Service

Outside the estate, the Garda Traffic Corps was restricting vehicular access to the estate as the riot raged.

Scores of onlookers wastched in disbelief as the scene of horror unfolded, and a number of homes of non-involved parties were damaged in the incident.

There were reports that one man was holed up at the rear of a house in the estate, armed with a bow and arrow.

Just after 1.00pm Supt. John Ganley and Inspector Alan Murray arrived at the scene to survey to level of damage.

Long term residents of D"Alton Park spoke of their disgust as the scenes that unfolded in front of their eyes. 'There are hundreds of decent, hard working people living in this estate for the past 30 years and then a handful of thugs are allowed to cause this type of carnage. They should not be given homes at all', one angry resident told the "Westmeath Examiner".