OPPOSING SIDES in a Traveller feud in Tralee, Co Kerry, had to be separated in court yesterday after several appeared on charges relating to an affray involving 17 people in a housing estate last July.
Judge James O’Connor adjourned the District Court briefly to allow gardaí call in up to 20 people connected with the feud to the courtroom to appear on charges.
Gardaí were conducting searches at the main doors to the courthouse and were not allowing the feuding parties to enter until they were directly before the court.
Insp Martin McCarthy led the groups separately into the court warning them to keep apart and shouting “Quilligan faction to the left, Coffeys to the right”.
The matter was adjourned to a special sitting on November 13th next, when more than 30 people are before the courts on charges relating to the continual feud.