Published: Wednesday, 4th August, 2010 5:00pm

Gardaí assure Cavan Fleadh will be peaceful

Jack Keyes, Cavan County Manager, is confident Fleadh 2010 will be a success and Gardaí will deal with any public disorder.

Despite the fact that two violent incidents took place on the streets of Cavan in successive weekends, including an assault and a travellers' row that escalated onto the streets; those tasked with putting detailed security plans in place for the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil are confident that the world's largest cultural event will run off peacefully.

A Garda spokesman told The Anglo-Celt that extra gardaí will be drafted in to help police the major event with up to 200 gardaí out patrolling during the week of the fleadh and will have the resources to deal with all eventualities. He added that it is very important that this fleadh goes off peacefully for the image of the whole town. "We will have a high visibility on the streets to ensure that everyone enjoys the event without interruption from anyone," he said.

In relation to the travellers' row on Friday evening, the Garda spokesman confirmed that at 7.25pm there was a public order incident in a licensed premises at Upper Main Street. The Gardaí were called to the scene to quell the row and one person was injured and was removed to hospital and one person was arrested. Gardaí in Cavan are actively investigating the entire circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Anglo-Celt understands that members of the travelling community had been socialising together in a pub when an argument developed and this escalated to a full-scale row.

There are reports that a glass was used in the course of the fracas. The injured man lost quite an amount of blood on the footpath.

One businessman said the footpath had to be power washed on Saturday morning to get rid of the blood stains. It is understood that some of the travellers involved moved to the town in the past number of months, while some others were visiting the area. It appears the groups clashed with some local travellers.

Blown out of proportion

A member of the travelling community told The Anglo-Celt that it was essentially a drunken argument. The fact that there was blood on the street led people to believe that it was actually worse than the reality. One man had to receive stitches to a head wound at Cavan General but nobody was detained. Reports that one person lost an eye in the fracas were also discounted and there were no knives, bottles or glasses used. Half of the incidents that were alleged to have taken place, never occurred, said the man. "Everything gets blown out of proportion," he said.

The president of Cavan Chamber, Pacelli Lynch, told The Anglo-Celt that the incident on Friday evening was very unwelcome in Cavan town. He is adamant that Cavan has now to stand up and say "No" to anti-social behaviour.

"I suppose coming on the back of the incident the previous weekend is unfortunate and could very easily give Cavan a bad name when the total opposite is the case. So many good and positive things are happening in Cavan over the past twelve to eighteen months. One just has to look around Cavan, the town centre, the approach roads have given Cavan a major lift, it is a pity that a very small number of people can easily spoil things," said Mr. Lynch.

He added that it is important that the people of Cavan remain positive and continue with the extraordinary good work currently taking place and to say that all anti-social behaviour is not welcome in Cavan.

The County Manager, Jack Keyes, said he was confident that the fleadh will go very well as it has done in places like Tullamore and there will be adequate gardaí and marshals on the ground to police the event in a professional and highly effective manner. A comprehensive plan has been put in place in conjunction with the gardaí and the details have been formulated over the past nine months. There will also be a huge Civil Defence presence at the event right throughout the week.