A teenager was seriously assaulted in Ballaghaderreen’s Main Street last night. The assault, on a person under 18 years, took place just after midnight, and garda investigations are ongoing.
An area in the town centre was sealed off this morning for a garda examination.
Gardaí said they were investigating a report of a serious assault at Main Street, Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, at around 12:10am on Friday, 1st November, 2024.
Local councillor Micheál Frain told Shannonside radio that the number of gardaí in the town had been reduced in recent years – and said that he had knowledge of a number of cases that had happened of a serious nature in the town in the last few weeks and months.
He said that the assault last night was another example of “the breaking down of law and order” in the town – and that while the town previously had 8 gardaí and 2 sergeants, numbers were now “very, very low indeed”.
The local radio station reported that a Concerned Citizens group said they had planned a silent protest for tomorrow evening in the town to call attention to what it described as “serious neglect by those in power.
“We’re proposing to hold a peaceful, silent, candle light protest on Sunday evening in town,” the group said in posts on social media. “We need to highlight the fact that the town is seriously neglected by those in power.
“We are seeing an unprecedented rise in crime, antisocial behaviour and even serious crime, whilst we have barely any garda presence, or let’s face it, NO real garda presence at all.
“We cannot tolerate this any longer. Please show your support on Sunday evening, meeting at 5pm at the cathedral car park, Pound St.
“We will then walk in silence to the garda barracks. We’re hoping to be able to provide some candles, but please bring your own if possible, candles, lanterns etc.”