Gardaí fear someone will be killed as inter-family feud spirals out of control
Shots were fired at a house in Co Sligo over the weekend in the latest incident
An inter-family feud is spreading in the west of the country, leading to fears someone will be killed.
Shots were fired at a house in Co Sligo over the weekend in the latest incident linked to the dispute, in which a home occupied by an individual nicknamed 'The Farmer' was targeted.
Sources say 'The Farmer' is not involved in the agricultural industry.
No one was injured in the shotgun attack in Tubbercurry, but damage was caused to the property. The incident has led to fears that a feud that has been raging in Co Mayo, as well as in Co Galway, has led to the factions now going to war in Co Sligo.
The shooting at the weekend is the fourth serious incident linked to the feud to be investigated by Sligo gardaí in recent weeks after a number of its participants moved to that county.
The incidents included a criminal damage incident, threats to kill and an attempted arson attack.
According to information obtained by the Sunday World, these crimes are part of 60 separate incidents being investigated by officers from the North Western Region in the last six years related to the feud.
Stock image. Photo: Getty
News in 90 seconds - 21st May
'Like many of these feuds, there is up to four individuals at the core – at the centre of this, but underneath them there are dozens of willing participants,' a source said.
'As this violence continues to spread now to a different county, there are genuine fears that someone could get killed – this is what happens when shots are let off and houses are set on fire.
'A lot of this agitation is spread on social media where so-called call-out videos are posted, which are simply just encouraging violence.'
Sources have said there is a view among some gardaí that more needs to be done to deal with the feuding gangsters terrorising some parts of the west of the country.
This is despite an operation last July in which officers targeted one of the gangs at the centre of the feud. Gardaí seized €75,000 in cash, three vehicles, a Tiguan SUV, an Audi A5 car and a Ford Transit van, as well as a 'large amount' of designer watches and multiple electronic devices in Galway.
Two bank accounts, both within and outside the jurisdiction, with cash and cryptocurrency valued in excess of €990,000 were frozen under money-laundering legislation.
The gang targeted in last summer's operation is considered to be the biggest drug-dealing mob in Co Mayo and also has 'significant influence on organised crime in Co Galway', a source said.
Investigations have established that the Mayo-based gang have been sourcing their drugs from two bigger crime networks – one based in Sligo and the other in Limerick.
Two families based in Mayo originally formed an alliance against two families from Galway city, but now more families have been dragged into the dispute – the origin of which is unclear.
As part of the feud, there have been several shooting incidents, petrol and pipe-bomb attacks, ramming of cars and other violent incidents as well as multiple death threats, often issued on social media.
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