A TOTAL of 17 people were arrested for public order offences in the south Finglas area of Dublin at various stages over St Patrick's Day. At least six cars were burned out and gardaí in riot gear had to be called in.
The day and night of violence, centred in the Berryfield Road/Glenties Drive area, was sparked by youths and older adults, many of whom were reported to be under the influence of alcohol, hijacking cars before engaging in so-called "joyriding".
There were also reports that one man was forced out of his car and had his jaw broken, although gardaí could not confirm this yesterday.
Others also suggested that children as young as 10 were involved among a crowd of up to 200 people who gathered at the scene.
As Fine Gael yesterday called for special "night courts" to allow people to be dealt with by the criminal justice system within 24 hours of committing an offence, a spokesman for the Garda Press Office said 17 people were arrested for public order offences in the area at various stages over St Patrick's Day.
Six of these were youths and juvenile liaison officers were assigned to them before they were released yesterday. A further 11 had been released and were due to appear in court, he said.
In an earlier statement, gardaí said that officers at Finglas station started to receive calls at about 10am on Monday relating to "possible dangerous driving incidents and attempted unauthorised takings of cars in the Finglas south area.
"At approximately 12pm Finglas uniformed crews dealt with three incidents of dangerous driving and one incident of an unauthorised taking of a car in the Berryfield Road/Glenties Drive area of Finglas," the statement said.
"A car which had been reported in relation to dangerous driving had been set alight and Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene.
"A van which had also been reported in relation to dangerous driving was set alight when a petrol bomb was thrown at it."
About 60 youths had gathered at this time, gardaí said.
"As a result the public order unit was dispatched to the area and the crowd which had gathered were dispersed.
"Approximately six vehicles were removed from the Cardiffsbridge Road and Berryfield Road.
"At approximately 5.30pm a car was hijacked on Cardiffsbridge Road and another was attempted to be hijacked."
Speaking at the scene yesterday,local parish priest Fr Séamus Ahearne said crowds of between 150 and 200 people had gathered there on Monday. He said in one instance a man was dragged out of a car and had his jaw broken before the car was stolen.
"It is a poverty of ambition and a poverty of imagination which led to what had happened last night," he told The Irish Times. "It's attention seeking, it's like a child that hasn't grown up. . . It is ingrained even in the youngsters that they won't 'rat' on someone. What we need is somebody to stand up and say this is not on."
But speaking yesterday on Newstalk radio's Eamon Keane Show, well known social campaigner Fr Peter McVerry said Monday night's events reflected "a huge sense of frustration and a huge sense of powerlessness".
"Nobody seems to have any answers to try and deal with this particular problem," he added.
A group of women who spoke to this newspaper at the scene yesterday morning said the people involved were not locals, and had picked the area because there were mainly women and children living there. They did not wish to be named.
Another man who was washing his car there yesterday morning said many of the people involved were pulling "handbrake skids" at first before the situation deteriorated. He also did not wish to be named.
"It is lucky there were no kids killed, they tried to take someone out of their car too," he said. "They chased two other Polish lads down the roads too, I heard. Anybody was a target."