The District Court judge dealing with issues arising from the Traveller feud in Mullingar has said “We are only an inch away from somebody launching a gallon of petrol against a person’s house and burning everyone in it”.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” said Judge John Neilan. “It may not be a rock or a plank the next time.”
The comments arose as he sentenced 23-year-old Thomas Nevin of 31 Grange Crescent to 11 months imprisonment for causing €5,400 damage to the home of Christina Joyce at Valley Bungalows in August 2007.
Hughie Nevin (24 ) of 8 Fairgreen, Mullingar received a similar sentence for his involvement in the same incident.
They were among a group of men who arrived in a car under cover of darkness and threw rocks at windows and doors. It was one of a number of such incidents before Mullingar District Court.
“There is a faction who will decide that instead of a stone, next time they will use petrol and burn everyone to a cinder. It will be done in the hours of darkness when people can’t get out.”
He said reducing a sentence in one case would be “to condone this type of conduct that visits nightmares on this town and country”. He described the behaviour as “repulsive” and “horrendous”.
He went on to state that it was an appalling tragedy that male members of the community were persisting in causing mischief and engaging in conduct horrendous by any standard in a civilised society.
“Unless they listen to the females they are going to drag the community back every time into this feud that’s going on in places around the country.”
Judge Neilan said he was of the firm belief that women in the Traveller community were “at the coalface of trying to move on and not carry the stigma of constant battles and feuds”.
The men however are not listening, despite the fact that their wives, mothers, and sisters come to visit them in prison and attend court with them, said the judge.
He added it would take some years to drag their husbands and partners roaring and screaming into the modern age and that they remained, “in the dark ages, hell-bent on pursuing this feud”.
“The female members are anxious to join society on the same terms as the rest, and I commend them for that but they are getting no help whatsoever from their male partners and sons.”
He said the men should listen to the wisdom of the women, a lot of whom have bettered themselves through the VEC and some of whom were now instructors. Instead however, they “carry some grievance while the women improve themselves”.
