Longford street row involving knives, bricks and machete between feuding families was "abject savagery," says judge

Bernard McDonagh (39) of 19 Annaly Gardens, Longford was before Longford Circuit Court charged with affray and producing an article, a brick, in the course of a dispute.

The defendant was not among the eight men who originally appeared in Longford District Court in December, 2019 charged in connection with a violent street row that broke out on Main Street in Longford.

That conflict between rival families saw bottles, bricks and other implements being hurled between the groups at around 9.30am.

State witness Detective Sergeant Keelan Brennan described it as “an indiscriminate attack” arising out of “tensions between two families”. He said Mr McDonagh, who is married into one of the groups, was not prosecuted at the time.

Det Brennan said the altercation erupted on Monday, December 16, 2019 as members of two families were outside the Post Office to collect social welfare payments.

The witness said in a very short period of time other individuals showed up with a pitchfork, a machete, knives and, in the case of Mr McDonagh, bricks.

A montage of CCTV footage was played in court that showed a number of individuals dressed in hoodies and shorts throwing various items at one another. In the melee damage was caused to a number of cars and a shop front.

Det Brennan pointed out the defendant, wearing a black coat with the hood pulled up “skipping” about, saying: “Here we can see Mr McDonagh throwing bricks, not very successfully, at the other group. He is also seen picking up a hammer and throwing it back at the other offenders.”

The Detective Sergeant said a vehicle sustained damaged as a result of the incident, but the owner received compensation. At the time of the offence some of those involved were arrested and remanded in custody over the Christmas period, but Mr McDonagh was not.

The court was told the defendant has 25 previous convictions in total, including a recent incident where he was searched under the misuse of drugs act and dropped his trousers in a public place.

Counsel for the defendant, Dara Foynes SC, said although her client is not working he is very involved in the life of his children.

Ms Foynes said one of Mr McDonagh's children has to attend appointments at Crumlin Hospital for treatment for a serious medical condition.

Counsel addressed the court saying: “He knows this behaviour is unacceptable and has to stop. He will be a law abiding citizen from now on and he is asking for a chance to prove this.”

Referring to the CCTV of the event Judge Kenneth Connolly said: “I am still surprised by some of the things I see,” and continued, “ At a risk of being glib and flippant this brings to mind the Wild West. They brought Main Street to a standstill, this was nothing short of savagery. The only word for this is abject savagery. It will not be tolerated.”

Judge Connolly noted there was “little or no cooperation” with Gardai, the defendant had significant previous convictions, but accepted that the guilty plea was of significance.

The judge described the offence as being “at the higher end of affray” saying “the pure chaos that ensued” suggested a four year headline sentence.

Noting Mr McDonagh was the victim of an assault on the previous day, and he had engaged in mediation in the inter family conflict the judge said he could reduce the sentence to one of two years in prison.

However, because the other offenders in the incident had been handed down suspended sentences the judge said: “On the basis of parity I will suspend the sentence for three years on condition the defendant makes a charity donation of €500 to Little Blue Heroes within six weeks.

“This is more generous than I would normally be. I assure you that if you come back before the court I will activate the two-year sentence.”