By Post Reporters

 

CASTLEBLAYNEY was became a battleground last week when at least 30 teens threw bricks and kicked and punched their way through Main Street in a brawl they had organised via the Bebo website.

 

“I saw beer kegs and bottles being thrown and I saw a person being kicked in the head as he lay helpless on the ground,” one shocked eye witness told the Post.

 

The clash was organised on Bebo by opposing gangs from Castleblayney and  a group in Crossmaglen calling themselves The South Armagh Mafia.

Since the riot comments have been posted on the social networking site with rival youths bragging about their shameful exploits.

As a result Castleblayney Town Council will debate banning underage discos in the town.

 

•            Gardai were prepared for further trouble on Saturday night after further postings on Bebo

•            More trouble could be planned for this coming Saturday night.

•            In a separate incident three Castleblayney youths were chased by a men wielding baseball bats.

 

The hour-long rumpus between Castleblayney and Crossmaglen youths ranging in age from between 14 and 17 broke out at approximately 11.30pm on Wednesday last following a local disco.

Over 100 people witnessed the scenes, many of whom contacted the Monaghan Post.

 

The Post also understands that gardai found it difficult to deal with the situation given the limited number of officers available in the town at the time on a normally quiet weeknight.

A witness said: “Gardai were under pressure to deal with the situation and many of the young people involved were also taunting them. It was a running battle and I saw one youngster with a very serious eye injury”.

 

Another witness said that he saw bricks being taken from nearby gardens which where then used as missiles.

 

Gardai in Castleblayney were prepared for further trouble on Saturday night after further postings on Bebo incited further trouble.

However, Gardai were prepared for every eventuality and no further trouble occurred. As we go to press further comments on Bebo would suggest that perhaps more trouble could be planned for this coming Saturday night.

 

Meanwhile, some hours later and what is believed to be a totally separate and random incident three Castleblayney youths were chased by a group of approximately fifteen men who alighted from a van in the Bree area of Blayney some of which were wielding baseball bats.

 

The three local men were chased to a house in The Crescent area of the town where they sought safety. However, the perpatrators unsuccessfully attempted to gain entry to the house and damaged the door and smashed a window there before leaving in two northern registered cars. Castleblayney Gardai are now investigating this incident.