Local fishermen savagely assaulted by gang of young thugs

‘If the Gardaí hadn’t come along, I don’t know if we’d be here today’

THREE fishermen were viciously assaulted last Thursday evening by a gang of youths in Carlow town, resulting in all three being hospitalised. Jackie Owens, and brothers Jim and Michael Murphy were set upon by the gang on the banks of the River Burrin in Carlow town centre. “If the gardaí hadn’t come along, I don’t know if we’d be here today,” Jackie told The Nationalist.

The three veteran anglers were walking on the river bank at approximately 7pm on Thursday when “two young lads came flying up on horses”. Jackie confronted the pair, telling them to get off the track because they were a danger to the public and threatened to call the gardaí if they didn’t leave.

One of the young men then hit Jackie on the back of the head and he fell to the ground.

“Before I knew it, there were about three fellas kicking me when I was on the ground,” he continued.

He looked up and saw that his two friends were also surrounded by young men who were kicking them, too.

“I was trying to make my way towards the others and I got hit again. They kept hitting us,” he explained. “Michael tried to roll away from them and they beat Jim where he lay.”

Jackie said that the vicious young thugs tried to throw him into the river but that he “blacked out” before they got the chance. “I got such a hiding that I kept blacking out and coming back,” he said. “I’m black and blue with bruises. One of them must have stepped on my head because I’ve got bruises all over my head.”

A woman who was at the scene tried to help the three friends and the gardaí and ambulance service arrived soon afterwards. All three were brought to St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny, where they were kept overnight, while Jackie was also kept in on Friday night for observation.

Jackie sustained bruising all down one side of his body, while Michael and Jim suffered lacerations to their faces and bruising to the head. The three have since been recovering from their horrific ordeal and are deeply shocked by the viciousness of the assault.

They’ve been fishing in the town “all of their lives” and recently featured in this newspaper because of the months of work they spent taking rubbish out of the Burrin.

Between cleaning the river during the afternoons and fishing at evening time, the three are a familiar sight to people living in the town.

Jim, also known as Murph, sold fishing tackle and bait from his shop on Tullow Street and would have advised generations of fishermen in the town over the years. Jim, Michael and Jackie all lost valuable equipment during the attack, with Jackie’s bait box being destroyed.

“It’s taken years to build up the collection of flies – there must have been up to €500 worth in the box,” he said. “They can be replaced, but they have sentimental value that can’t be.”

Jackie has also vowed to return to his beloved River Burrin when he has recovered from his ordeal.

http://www.carlow-nationalist.ie/2013/0 ... ung-thugs/

Nothing but scum would get up to this sort of animal behaviour, i do hope they meet their match very soon. im sure they have to be known to the guards, the damage they will do to local tourisim is going to be huge. i for one wont be stopping in carlow again and i have stayed in the local hotels on a few occasions carlow has been getting a bit of a reputation as a nogo spot over the last couple of years at least if they can do this to their own locals what would have been the outcome for a stranger to the area i dread to think

God I hope they get them, the laws are not strong enough for scum like that. I know what id like to say but my post would be deleted. .

I'm a strong believer in what goes around comes around , carma and all that , let hope it's sooner than later for this gang if low life's

Dirty animals that's unbelivable

Pure scum. Law onto themselves those lot, sub- species.

learn how to protect yourselves gentlemen, and when its go time, go fast, go hard and dont stop till you're sure they're not coming back

shocking stuff. some people just have no morals.
Hope they're caught and someone throws the book at them.

Filthy animals,but what else would you expect from scumbags who have probably never worked a day in there lifes.

John Ainsworth.

Very sad I wish them a speed recovery. To loose gear like that is priceless. I hope they have the will to get back into the sport and let the little bastards win.

Horrific. Hopefully it doesnt deter the anglers from returning to the river.

jesus and to think that nearly every angler carries a knife with them. that justifes me carring mine in my pocket it will be staying there from now on, hope you guys get well soon and it doesnt leave you paranoid. and yea im with u paul what gos around defo comes around wouldnt worry about them they will get what they give... sooner rather than later

jesus ,shocked to hear this, nice fellas all of them, bought a lot of stuff in the shop and always good advice and banter, hope the garda find who is repsonsible