Man, 23, jailed for violent disorder in Galway

A 23-year-old man has been given a 26-month jail term after pleading guilty to violent disorder in Galway on separate dates three years ago.

PJ Ward junior, with an address at 25 Coole Park, Bohermore, Galway, was sentenced at Galway Circuit Criminal Court today.

He had pleaded guilty to two charges in relation to his involvement in feud-related activities, which involved a number of families in the city.

The offences in question took place on 8 and 10 of September 2023.

The court heard that Ward was walking on Shop Street in Galway on the date of the first offence, when he saw his father “having a few words” with another man.

The situation escalated and a number of others were subsequently involved in what was described as a “full show” bare-knuckle fight on Williamsgate Street.

Judge Eoin Garavan said it was clear that those involved had been alerted by a WhatsApp group, which made them aware of what was unfolding.

He said the “large-scale brawl” took place in full view of dozens of onlookers, which led to the closure of a number of shops and was not good for the image of Galway.

The judge said people must have been scared to witness the actions of people involved in what he described as a “nonsensical feud”.

Gardaí used pepper spray to intervene and restore order.

In the aftermath of the incident, PJ Ward junior was among a number of people arrested. He was charged with violent disorder at a special sitting of the district court in the hours that followed and released on bail.

On Sunday 10 September, 2023, further disturbances involving the feuding families occurred at Galway Shopping Centre car park.

The court heard Ward arrived at the scene and that mobile phone footage showed that when he was confronted, he stated “unequivocally” that he was on bail and did not wish to get involved.

However, matters were said to have again escalated and Ward ended up participating in another fight, where he “traded punches” with another man in full view of the public.

He was later observed on CCTV carrying a bat in the Bohermore area, a short distance from the shopping centre.

Judge Garavan said it was noteworthy that an individual who had stated he did not want to get into trouble was subsequently filmed with a bat in his hand.

Defence barrister Brendan Browne said his client had entered two signed pleas, accepting the fact that he was involved in two violent incidents in a 48-hour period. He acknowledged his responsibility and had no previous convictions for violence.

Mr Browne referenced a lengthy letter of apology which had been submitted to the court, in which Ward expressed remorse to members of the public who had been impacted by his actions.

He appealed for leniency for his client, saying he was at low risk of reoffending and was grasping opportunities for rehabilitation with both hands.

Matters between the feuding families were said to have “settled” in the period since the disturbances occurred.

The accused has been in custody since January of this year on foot of a bench warrant that was issued when he failed to present himself for an earlier hearing.

The court heard that days after entering a signed plea in January 2025, Ward travelled to the UK, where he was caught with counterfeit bank notes and given a one-year jail term there.

He was released on licence after four months, on condition that he wear an electronic monitoring tag and remain in the jurisdiction for the duration of the sentence.

Judge Garavan said Ward’s actions showed a “criminal mindset” and that he had brought the “entire misfortune” onto himself.

He had played a part in “indiscriminate violence”, which showed Galway in a “very poor light”.

He imposed a six-month sentence in relation to the first offence, taking into account the accused’s age, lack of previous convictions and domestic obligations.

However, the judge said a most serious view had to be taken in relation to the second offence at Galway Shopping Centre, imposing a 20-month jail term in respect of that charge.

Judge Garavan said these sentences would be served consecutively but that he would backdate them to the 27 January, 2026, when Ward was taken into custody.

In his closing remarks, the judge said a lesson should go out to people involved in the feud, or to anyone else engaging in such activities, that “you will be found out, you will be before the court [and] you will be punished severely for mindless rioting and violence”.

Sentencing hearings for several other people who were involved in the incidents in September 2023 were adjourned today, due in part to the absence of legal instruction on behalf of the defendants, as a result of the ongoing dispute involving solicitors.

Many of those cases have been put back to the new year for mention, when it is expected that updated sentencing dates will be fixed. All of the defendants have been remanded on the same terms and conditions that applied prior to today’s hearing.