Violent attack on Dublin farmer prompts calls for greater garda presence in rural areas

A farming chief has hit out at an unprovoked and violent attack on a farmer in north Dublin as “disgraceful and very worrying” and have called for a greater garda presence in rural areas.

Violent attack on Dublin farmer prompts calls for greater garda presence in rural areas

By Sarah Slater

A farming chief has hit out at an unprovoked and violent attack on a farmer in north Dublin as “disgraceful and very worrying” and have called for a greater garda presence in rural areas.

Patrick Walsh, 47, was kicked unconscious when he came across four men who were trespassing on his land at Lispopple, Swords, Co Dublin, on September 2.

The father of three young children suffered four cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder and needed stitches to his face after he was kicked repeatedly on the ground about 150 metres from his home.

IFA Deputy President Richard Kennedy said that the victim could have been seriously injured or killed.

“The hunting of hares is illegal under the Wildlife Act and gangs with their dogs are trespassing on farmlands across the country and when approached by farmers and land owners are met with hostility and in some cases violence.

“They worry livestock, damage fences and leave gates open and animals distressed. This is the third such serious attack in the past year in north Dublin.”

He revealed that last month, a farmer in St Margaret’s also in north Dublin located close to the airport, discovered men illegally dumping on his land went to ring the gardai, but was run over by the van as they struck the gate.

Luckily, he was discovered by a neighbour and spent a period of time in hospital with two broken legs and a broken collar bone.

Some months earlier in the same area another well-known farmer approached men with dogs on his land and he was also assaulted and threatened at knifepoint.

Mr Kennedy added: “The IFA has been proactive in the fight against rural crime and is calling for greater Garda presence in the troubled areas of north county Dublin and across all rural communities. Lurching or hare coursing by various groups must be targeted by gardai in a unified approach across all divisions.”

He also said that when the gardai successfully prosecute these cases, the courts must be seen to make it a deterrent for others.

Mr Walsh was watching TV with his wife and children, aged two, four and six, when he spotted two men with lurchers walking through his herd of suckler cows along with another two men close by.

He got into his jeep and went after them but was attacked by them when he confronting them over trespassing. He received numerous kicks to the head and body until he went unconscious.

Mr Walsh said:

”When I woke up 15 minutes later, I didn't know where I was and then a neighbour arrived on the scene and I was taken to Connolly Hospital, where a doctor told me I was lucky my injuries were not more serious.”

Three of his attackers were aged in their 20s and the fourth in his late 30s or early 40s.

Mr Walsh said the gang were running a campaign of intimidation throughout north county Dublin and many farmers were too frightened to report the threats to gardaí.

Gardaí say several crime gangs are involved and they intimidate farmers to stop them reporting incidents and have confirmed that they are investigating all incidents.

The IFA plan to call a public meeting for the north Dublin community of Fingal in an effort to stop what they call, "lawless actions” in the coming days.

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