WHO paid the thugs who drove through the night from Dublin to Bantry to wreck the caravans occupied by three travelling families?
A judge who heard evidence on the matter in Skibbereen Circuit Court on Monday is determined to find out, but the chances are, given that the attack occurred in September 1994, that the identity of those behind it will never be disclosed.
Not that people in Bantry are in much doubt as to who was behind it. In the closely knit community one name in particular is mentioned again and again. Gardai, however, have been unable to amass the evidence that would lead to a prosecution.
At the Skibbereen court on Monday, Reginald Brogan, from Dublin, described how he came to be involved. He said that in the past he had worked on several occasions for Dublin County Council, moving travelling families from particular sites. When a Mr Davis approached him before the Bantry attack, he believed he was then working for Cork County Council.
Early on the morning of September 19th, 1994 the gang arrived at the Pier Road site and went into action. Outside Bantry Garda station, Brogan was paid £1,000, the first instalment on his £4,000 fee.
As six adults and 15 children slept in their caravans, the gang of up to 12 men used a forklift truck and iron bars, wrecking and up turning the caravans. Despite pleas from the women the gang refused to stop and moved away only as the gardai arrived.
One of the gang told Mrs Elizabeth Burke, a mother of five, they had come to do a job for which they had been paid. The mysterious Mr Davis was present when the attack started, according to Brogan, but he disappeared when the gardai moved in.
Some months after the attack, at Bantry District Court, Brogan (45) and his son Garry (22) were sentenced to six months' jail for their role in the affair. Brogan's latest court appearance was to appeal against the severity of that sentence.
Adjourning the case to allow a Garda investigation into who paid the men, Judge Patrick Moran said that an effort would have to be made to bring them to justice.
Yesterday in Bantry Thomas Burke (12) and his cousin Anne Delaney were confirmed along with other children in the town. Outside the church Mrs Burke recalled the attack but said she had no idea who was behind it. "We think it wasn't the ordinary people of Bantry, but people with money who wanted rid of us."
Her husband, Mr Thomas Burke, said that the travellers did not know who hired the gang. "We're fairly sure that they were local but we'll probably never find out who they were," he said.
Cork County Council is adamant that whoever Mr Davis is, he does not work for it, and that no council official at any level hired him to move the travellers out.
Brogan has offered to pay £5,000 in compensation and has said he wants to help the Garda investigation.