[kellyhound]

Three people have been taken to hospital after a car was driven into a group several times in Skerries, north Co Dublin, during a public order incident on Saturday night.

A large group of people, including at least two rival factions, gathered on Harbour Road, where a violent mass fight unfolded for a prolonged period, including on the pier, as people socialising outside a nearby pub looked on.

It was unclear if the group fight had been pre-arranged or if the factions clashed in a more spontaneous incident. However, one strand of the Garda investigation is trying to determine if the disturbance, which unfolded over a large area, went ahead by arrangement.

A vehicle was driven at people, hitting them, at least twice. The people hit the first time, some of whom were thrown into the air, tried to scramble away, injured and stunned, as the driver attempted to drive at them again.

Garda Headquarters said local gardaí responded to “reports of a public order incident” at Harbour Road after the violence began. Concerned members of the public made emergency calls seeking a response.

“At approximately 9.30pm a large number of youths gathered and a fight broke out,” the Garda said. “During the course of the incident a car drove at a number of people.”

Three teenagers – two females and one male – were taken to Beaumont Hospital for treatment with non-life threatening injuries while investigations are ongoing.

Gardaí are reviewing CCTV footage recorded in the area at the time and were also reviewing clips recorded by bystanders on their mobile phones, some of which have been shared on social media and have gone viral.

The vehicle driven into people is clearly visible, with at least one man getting out of the car to challenge some of those on foot in the area. As that man engaged in a fight with another member of the rival group, both fell into a nearby packed beer garden at the front of a pub on Harbour Road.

As that was taking place, the vehicle the man had alighted from was reversed and then driven forward at speed, hitting a number of people and ramming a parked car. The driver then appeared to attempt to ram people for a second time.

A large emergency response took place at the scene, with gardaí in vehicles pouring into the area and several fire tenders also in attendance. They brought paramedics into the scene to attend to the injured before three of them were taken to hospital by ambulance.

Gardaí believe they will be able to identity the car used to ram the injured, and some of those present at the scene, though the investigation to identity all of the main protagonists was likely to take some time.

[Mr.NoCredit]

Still a pretty good way to end a fight.