Fears of violence on Ireland's Holy Mountain branded ‘hysteria’ ahead of charity climb

THE co-director of a Traveller advocacy group has said there is ‘no intelligence or evidence’ to suggest that violence will occur at Croagh Patrick this Saturday.

A policing plan has being put in place at the mountain this weekend amid growing fears about clashes between feuding groups from the Travelling community.

Large numbers are expected to travel to the area for Saturday, when UK-based celebrity Paddy Doherty will be climbing the Reek for charity.

Speaking ahead of the event, Martin Collins, Co-Director of the Pavee Point Traveller Centre, said that at least 40 men from Wales and from Coolock and Finglas in Dublin are planning to climb the Reek in aid of various causes.

While he said could not guarantee peace during the charity climb, he was critical of what he believes is scaremongering surrounding the event.

“There’s a sense of hysteria and a little bit of scaremongering. I just think the whole thing is being blown out of all proportion,” Mr Collins told The Mayo News.

“I have no reason to believe, I have no evidence, I have no intelligence that would point towards violence occurring at the Reek on either Saturday or Sunday. I’d be very surprised, and I’d be very disappointed actually, if there was an occurrence of violence,” he added.

‘Negative narrative’

It is understood that several people intending to undertake the climb have already arrived in the locality.

Due to concerns around anti-social behaviour, several local pubs have decided to install private security, cancel live music or close their doors.

Paddy Doherty, who is climbing the Reek in aid of an orphanage, has repeatedly urged others not to cause trouble at the mountain, which is a popular pilgrimage site among Travellers.

“I really think it’s very unfortunate because it’s a really positive event,” said Mr Collins, who has spoken to several people involved in the climb.

“A number of Traveller men have come together to raise money for good causes, for good charities and so we have something really positive that Traveller men are doing.

“And yet, there’s a negative narrative now beginning to emerge around it, which I think is very unfair actually,” he continued.

“These men are smashing all of the stereotypes, the stereotypes being that we’re violent, drunken, disorderly, anti-social. All these stereotypes have been around for decades if not centuries.

“So lookit, it’s a really positive event and I think it should be celebrated, and I say fair play to the men directly involved.”

‘No-win situation’

Mr Collins added that comments from politicians and recent media coverage had left the Traveller community ‘in a no-win situation’.

Local county councillor and former garda Christy Hyland had previously called for gardaí to have adequate resources to deal with a potential outbreak of violence.

“I think we as a community are being put in a really difficult and a very invidious position. In fact, we’re in a no-win situation as a community,” Mr Collins said, explaining: “If there’s no occurrence of violence, and hopefully there won’t be, then the Gardaí and the politicians will all point that their strategy has worked. If there is an outbreak of violence then they will turn around and say, ‘We told you so’.”

Mr Collins said he would encourage all pilgrims to refrain from violence ‘irrespective of your ethnicity’.

“When people go to worship at a religious site like Croagh Patrick, people need to be respectful and need to behave in an orderly fashion. That applies to everybody. I wouldn’t for one minute signal out my own community. That principal has to apply across the board.”