Knives pulled in huge brawl after man is bitten on nose
A crowd of around 30 men took part in a terrifying face-off in a north-Dublin housing estate after a brawl in a nearby pub spiralled out of control.
Weapons, including knives, were produced during the melee, which kicked off shortly after 3am on Sunday in the Moatview Court area of Priorswood.
No arrests were made, but gardai from Coolock are on stand-by in case of revenge attacks.
"This was a very large public order incident, which happened between some local residents and a group of Travellers after an earlier public order incident in a pub and a criminal damage incident in the estate," a source explained.
The violence kicked off in a pub when a dispute between a number of Travellers and locals turned extremely nasty.
One man was bitten on the nose and another man had a glass smashed over his head during the course of a brawl.
After a number of assaults inside and outside the pub, the violence spread to the nearby Moatview Court estate where some Traveller criminals are suspected of smashing up the family home of an innocent woman who had no involvement in the chaos.
Windows and flower pots were broken in the incident which is being investigated as a "criminal damage matter", according to sources.
After the woman's house was attacked, a number of residents decided to tackle a group of Travellers who they believe were involved in the attack.
Stand-off
This led to a major stand-off between the two sides in which there were a number of what is being described as "minor assaults" before gardai arrived and broke-up the brawl.
"There were disgraceful scenes at three different locations in the Priorswood area on Sunday morning and it is a miracle that no one was seriously injured.
"The incidents have led to an increase in tensions in the area and gardai will have to monitor what is going on," a source explained.
Some of those involved in the brawl have links to a bitter Traveller feud in Finglas.