Old GAA rivalry leads to assault
COURT GRAIGUECULLEN V 'TOP OF THE TOWN'
Tuesday November 03 2009
A FIGHT that broke out between a man from Graiguecullen and another from 'the top of the town' as a result of long-standing GAA rivalry ended in court with two convictions for assault.
25-year-old Patrick Murphy of 20 Fr Byrne Park in Graiguecullen and 20year-old Eamon Haughney of 31 John Sweeney Park were both convicted of assault in Hadden's car park on January 25 2009.
Haughney was fined ¤500 while Murphy was handed down a two-month jail sentence as he already had a previous conviction for assault.
'The first one was too many and now you have two too many,' said Judge William Harnett as he imposed the sentence.
Garda Kieran Shields said he arrived at the car park at 2.35 a.m. on the night to see two males fighting.
'They were boxing each other in the face,' he said. 'They ended up on the ground and we ended up on the ground as we tried to release their grip.'
He said Haughney's face was covered in blood and Murphy's jaw was swollen.
'One defendant had to be brought to Caredoc as he was covered in blood,' he said.
Solicitor James Cody said the assault occurred between the men because they were from different ends of the town.
Solicitor for Haughney, John O'Sullivan, said the dispute arose between two people 'who don't get on that wel'l.
'It was the top of the town versus Graiguecullen, a GAA thing,' he said. 'It is a centuries old matter that brews now and again.'
Recognisances were set for Murphy, whose brother later turned up at court with money to secure his release pending an appeal against his jail sentence.
