Two before court over graveyard feud chaos

A LARGE garda presence, including armed members, maintained a vigil outside Tralee Court last Thursday morning as a case of violent disorder in Tralee’s Rath Cemetery and a feud that was “very much alive”, was outlined indoors at the Circuit Criminal Court.

A large crowd remained for a time outside the imposing 19th century courthouse on Ashe Street, while inside two members of the Cork based Faulkner “faction” in the 20– year–old feud were appearing for sentencing.

Afterwards family members accompanying the two Cork men remained in the building on Ashe Street until Garda Sergeant Ray Monaghan ensured the coast was clear outside.

As well as armed members, Garda cars patrolled the street.

The men – Christopher Faulkner, aged 21 of Lower Killeens, Blarney, and Wayne McCarthy aged 32, of Double Cottage, Lower Killeens, Blarney, both pleaded guilty to a violent disorder incident that took place on November 11, 2014 at Rath Cemetery in Tralee.

Both pleaded also to possession of weapons with intention to cause injury.

It was a slash-hook in the case of Wayne McCarthy while Christopher Faulkner pleaded guilty to possession of a hammer and a slash-hook.

The incident before the court took place at 12 noon on November 11, 2014.

The funeral of Mrs Bridget O’Driscoll was to take place and she was related to both sides, the court heard.

The pair were among “20 to 30 men” who had arrived in Tralee from Cork for the funeral.

Judge Tom O’Donnell was told that an operation had been planned and weapons including machetes, slash-hooks and hammers had been hidden behind headstones and tombs

Twenty or more men leapt over the cemetery wall and a member of the Kerry McCarth family who had entered the graveyard to pray for a deceased relative was violently assaulted.

The man who was assaulted had escaped with his life only because an elderly member of the Faulkners , a John Faulkner who once lived in Tralee, bravely stood between him and the others so he was able to get to the nearby University Hospital Kerry where be was treated for injuries including slash wounds Tom Rice for the DPP said.

Sgt Tom Bourke said “there was history between the families,” that originated from the stabbing of a member of the McCarthy family 20 years ago, and also involved the murder of Michael Faulkner at Mitchel’s Crescent in Tralee in 2004 after which the Faulkners had moved to Cork.

Other individuals were to appear in court and some had opted for trial in relation to the graveyard violence.

“Their involvement is out of a misguided sense of loyalty?” Tom Rice asked the investigating garda.

Sgt Bourke said that while geography – in that the feuding sides are now in different counties – had mitigated the minor matters the dispute was by no means over.

“The situation is very much alive and the groupings are very large now,” Sgt Bourke said.

Katie O’Connell asked for a psychiatric assessment of her client Mr Faulkner, who has a small number of previous convictions, before cross examining the garda; while counsel for Mr McCarthy, who has 99 previous convictions, said he would be requiring the same.

Judge O’Donnell adjourned matters, extending legal aid for the psychiatric reports.

Both accused have been remanded on continuing bail to appear before the court again on November 28.