Gang warfare breaks out in Courtown
August 1987
Three youths were admitted to Wexford General Hospital with injuries following a vicious ‘ beach battle’ broke out in Courtown Harbour on Friday night last between rival gangs from Gorey and Dublin.
Knives and bottles were used in the melee, which involved about 25 youths. Several other youths also suffered minor injuries in the fracas before Gardaí broke it up at about 10 p.m.
One of those admitted to hospital was a 17-year-old youth from Gorey who is believed to have received a stab wound to the back. His injury was stated to be ‘not serious’.
Two Dublin youths, one from Blanchardstown and one from Clonsilla, were also brought to hospital with head and facial injuries, but were discharged from hospital on Sunday. At least three more youths are said to have received medical attention from a GP in Gorey following the vicious gang warfare.
Gardai arrested three youths at the scene of the row and they are scheduled to appear at Gorey Court on August 11 next. Further youths are also expected to be charged in connection with the incidents at the beach, where a cider party is believed to have been in progress.
Reports say some other rows also broke out later that night and in the early hours of Saturday morning. At about 1 a.m. three squad cars of Gardai swooped on Riverchapel after youths with cudgels were seen in the vicinity of a disco.
They dispersed when the Gardai arrived but the Gardai found a number of broken wooden stakes which apparently had been ripped up with the intention of using them as weapons.
The incidents between Gorey and Dublin youths then continued in Gorey on Saturday afternoon at the Railway Station.
A number of Dublin youths were chased by Gorey youths. Some of them took refuge in the Signal Cabin, but others were chased along the railway line.
The Gardai were on the scene in a few minutes, and broke up the disturbance. Two youths ran along the railway line as far as Clough before phoning the Gardai from there and asking for protection.
A Garda spokesman said this week that the weekend incidents are being treated very seriously and also that they had a large effect on policing levels in other areas over the couple of days.
‘Having to send extra officers to Courtown meant we were down in manpower for Gorey itself and the surrounding district, so we were lucky that nothing serious happened there too,’ he said.
He indicated too that extra personnel will be deployed to Courtown Harbour each weekend for the remainder of August, for fear that further incidents may break out.
‘We expect the local youths to be in Courtown anyway and it’s just a bus or train journey away for the Dublin youths or other trouble-makers from Dublin, so we will have to be on guard,’ he said.