A man whose son was allegedly assaulted by a group of 6 or 7 men in Letterkenny’s main street this week and hospitalised with concussion has said the attackers, who he claims were foreign nationals, told their victim “this is our town now”.
The young man, “who was walking his dog on Monday evening” was allegedly jumped by the group and “they kicked him around the place”, Tony McDaid said, who added that his son was “very badly” shaken and left dazed and unable to speak properly. He said the alleged attackers stopped when two women came across the scene, allowing the young man to get into a local hotel for safety.
“My son could have been left in a wheelchair, could have been killed,” Mr McDaid said. “We hear of it happening all the time.” Speaking to Highland Radio, he said that Letterkenny was “not too safe at the minute”.
Senator Niall Blaney also told Highland Radio that “it was an issue” that there were “a lot of foreign nationals hanging around the streets”.
While Mr McDaid said the CCTV should reveal the alleged attackers identity, he told Gript that he didn’t believe the attackers were afraid of the law or of the Gardaí. “Its like there’s one rule for them and one for the locals,” he said.
Mr McDaid said his adult son had been walking his dog in Ballymacoole Park when he went into a local shop, and was told by another customer to get the dog out of the shop. They “had words”, Mr McDaid said, and his son disputed that there was an issue with a dog in the shop and said that this was “his town”.
He continued on his walk through Letterkenny’s main street. He was then set upon by between 6-7 men, according to local media. Gardaí said investigations of a report of assault were ongoing.
Mr McDaid claims the men said “This is our town, we own it now,” to his son as he was kicked and beaten. They were speaking “a different language to English” to each other, the Letterkenny man said.
“Letterkenny is a complete changed place now,” Mr McDaid told Gript. “There’s tension in the town. A lot of people, especially women don’t feel safe walking the town any more. Both ends of the town are now full of foreign nationals, and they spend a lot of time hanging around the town. It’s a real cause of worry for local people, and it’s a big topic of discussion
He said he felt that the two women who had happened upon the attack had saved his son from further injury. “I’d like to meet them and shake their hands,” he said. “But who’s going to be next? Will the next person be injured worse than my son?”
Tony McDaid shared his story with the Nine Till Noon show on Highland Radio this week, where he said that there were “words spoken” before the assault between his son and one of the alleged attackers, but that it should have never led to the situation where a young man was jumped on by a large group.
Source: Highland Radio
Senator Niall Blaney, told Highland Radio that he had observed a “lot of foreign nationals hanging around the streets” on Saturday nights – and that “it is an issue”, adding that there was “no thought” being given to how many foreign nationals a town can take.
He said there seemed to be particular concentration of accommodation for foreign nationals on Letterkenny’s main street, where “they are thrown in and lumped together,” the Fianna Fáil Senator said.
“We have all been harping at the Gardaí to police it better,” he said.
Source Highland Radio
Gardaí appealed for witnesses this week after “a man was assaulted by a group of other men on Letterkenny’s Main Street”, Donegal Daily reported. “The alleged assault took place on Upper Main Street last night, Monday the 14th of April, shortly before 10:40pm”.
A man was attacked by a large group of at least 6-7 other men. He was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital for treatment of non life-threatening injuries.
Gardaí are urging any witnesses to this assault to contact Letterkenny Garda Station on 974 91 67 100, or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. Anyone who was travelling in the area of Upper Main Street at that time and has dash-cam footage has also been asked to make it available.