Award-winning Irish actor, writer and director John Connors has urged members of the Traveller community involved in feuds to step away from violence and “return to God”, reports Breaking News.
Mr Connors made the appeal on social media following a brutal assault on a Traveller woman in County Tipperary last Saturday, reports Breaking News.
Scarlett Faulkner, believed to be in her 20s, was attacked and struck repeatedly on the head by at least one individual armed with a long object near the R494 road between Birdhill village and the M7 motorway.
Others present at the scene were reportedly carrying a hatchet and a sword-like weapon, reports Breaking News.
The violent incident occurred at around 5.30pm while passing motorists witnessed and recorded it on their mobile phones.
Footage circulating online appears to show a young woman filming the attack while standing beside another woman who repeatedly struck a person lying motionless at the roadside, believed to be Ms Faulkner, reports Breaking News.
On Monday, Ms Faulkner’s sister, Victoria Faulkner, appealed on social media for people to stop sharing an image of her sister in a hospital bed.
Ms Faulkner remains in a critical condition at Cork University Hospital after being transferred from University Hospital Limerick, reports Breaking News.
The Limerick woman, who is a mother of one, was initially airlifted from the scene due to the severity of her injuries.
In a video titled “Please stop the feuds!”, Mr Connors said: “I just have to comment on this, even though I know it’s going to get me a bit of stick, but that video that’s going around, of that traveler woman who was hurt in the feud, was absolutely horrendous, reports Breaking News.
“I’m gonna ask people to pray for that woman, and hopefully she pulls through and is in good health when she comes out of it too, please God.”
He urged “the people who are involved in these feuds, or encouraging feuds” to bring an end to the violence, reports Breaking News.
“The traveller feuds are getting out of hand,” said Mr Connors.
Calling on the Traveller community to promote peace, he said: “Lads, what are we doing? We’re destroying our own community. Look at me, I’m a walking, talking hypocrite, sinner. I’ve been involved in feuds myself, at 11/12, years of age, I was involved in feuds with hairy grown men coming after me in the streets, reports Breaking News.
“This is what happens. Okay? This is the reality: Children get involved, the women get involved. Violence, day in, day out. You can’t go out for fear of looking over your shoulder. There’s no look from it all, very bad look, in fact, from every bit of it.”
“We need to stop this. We need to stop killing ourselves up and down the country and videoing it all and putting it all on camera, reports Breaking News.
“As I said, I know all about this world, and I can tell you, been there, done that, and there’s not an hour’s look in it,” reiterated Mr Connors.
Encouraging people to turn away from violence and towards faith, he said: “We need to stop, we need to stop the violence, we need to stop the feuding. And you know what the key is to stopping — Go back to God, reports Breaking News.
“That’s what we got to do. Go back to God. Understand that there is an afterlife. There is a judgment day, and we’ll all be judged for our actions. Okay?”
“So that’s my advice to you, go back to God, pick up your rosary beads, go back to your faith, and that will stop it, because only God can stop this, reports Breaking News.
“And everybody say a prayer for that woman again. God bless her. Please be to God that she will be alright.”
Gardaí in Nenagh have appealed for witnesses to come forward following the assault on Ms Faulkner, reports Breaking News.
Investigators are particularly seeking information about the movements of two vehicles believed to have been involved in the incident.
“In particular, Gardaí are seeking information on the movements of two vehicles, a grey 162 Ford Transit van and a blue 161 Volkswagen Touran people carrier, travelling in convoy or driving dangerously between 4.30pm and 5.30pm on Saturday March 21st in and around Birdhill village, the townlands of Cooleen, Crag Cross, Shower Cross, Kylebeg, Annaholty and Thornhill, all in Co. Tipperary,” a garda spokesperson said, reports Breaking News.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Nenagh Garda Station, the Garda Confidential Line, or any garda station.
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