Judge Kevin Kilrane says Traveller culture is no excuse for the violence of bare knuckle fighting

The Traveller community should not be allowed to use culture as an excuse for violent and illegal bare knuckle fighting.

That is according to Judge Kevin Kilrane who was speaking at Ballyshannon District Court on Friday.

Two men in their twenties were facing charges in relation to a fight which took place in Bundoran.

John Ward, 25, of 2 Glenview Park, Sligo and Jimmy Ward, 22, of 34 Lawn Park, Ballyshannon were both charged with threatening abusive or insulting behaviour.

The offences took place at Ross Road, Magheracar, Bundoran on October 12, 2019.

The pair were represented by solicitors Tom MacSharry and Gerry McGovern respectively.

Mr Govern told the court: “They weren't enemies or bad friends but were in a traditional contest like in the old times.”

He said that when gardaí asked for it to be stopped, it stopped immediately.

“It is something that unfortunately has been going in in Ireland for generations,” said Mr McGovern. “A challenge match. There was no language or aggression to any other parties or to gardaí."

Superintendent Colm Nevin said that it had been an arranged fight in a disused quarry. There were around 30 people gathered, some of whom were videoing the event. 

The superintendent acknowledged that the fight had stopped when gardaí arrived but added: “I don't think it should be tolerated.”

Judge Kilrane agreed with the superintendent.

“There is a view that matters of this nature among the Travelling community is culture and we should let the Travelling community continue in bare knuckle fights with bets being placed on it and to interfere with that is to interfere with their culture,” said the judge.

“This is a point of view with which I do not agree. To organise a fist fight of this nature is perpetuating a culture of violence.

“Do you tolerate a breach in law of that nature because it is a breach of a human right?

“I believe the Traveller community should have their culture respected in relation to horses etc. But they cannot have a parallel law.  Should that be tolerated in society?

"I believe it should not. The Traveller community expects to be treated as citizens of the state with all of the protections and benefits that comes with that. 

“They say, ‘We want to be treated equally but we want to continue certain traditions that are illegal,' and therefore we have a conundrum.”

Judge Kilrane said he had watched such bare knuckle fights on Youtube and there was a lot of violence.

He added: “There are children watching not just on Youtube but they are there watching the fights. Those children are being acquainted with a culture of violence.”

Judge Kilrane said that some members of the Travelling community had achieved success in proper ‘Queensbury Rules’ staged boxing and that should be encouraged.

“But these bare knuckle fights cannot be tolerated,” he said.

Despite his strong views on the matter, the judge did not impose a conviction. He instead applied the Probation of Offenders Act Section 1.1 in respect of each of the defendants.