Irish Hooligans 'fuelled By Cocaine'

Abuse of drugs, principally cocaine, is fueling an unprecedented upsurge in soccer hooliganism in the Irish Republic, according to a new study.

A report to be published this week in the Garda Review, the magazine of the Garda Representative Association, highlights the use of drugs by hooligans who want to get 'fired up' before games.

Inspector Tony Gallagher from Fitzgibbon Street in Dublin, the garda station in charge of security both at Bohemian FC's Daly mount Park and Croke Park, headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association, said of the hooligans: 'We believe they are taking cocaine, which is exaggerating the aggression. They are using drugs to get the psyche right for aggression and violence against rival groups.

'They are totally fixated. They look to see if their intended target is over your shoulder; the coins and bottles start flying - but thankfully no garda has been injured.'

Gallagher also tells the Garda Review that his colleagues 'arrested one hooligan who had a huge amount of controlled substances on his person'.

In the current season there have been serious clashes between rival gangs at the Bohemians-Shamrock Rovers game at Daly mount Park. The garda was so concerned about trouble before, during and after the game that it deployed as many officers around the stadium as it did at the All-Ireland Gaelic football final. There were more than 80,000 spectators at the All-Ireland final compared with just 3,500 at the Bohemians-Shamrock Rovers game.

Another measure of the rise in hooliganism is the policing of the main Jodi Stand in Daly mount Park. Four years ago there were only two gardai on duty to police the crowd in that section of the ground; this season there is now regularly a full line of gardai down one aisle to segregate the away supporters from the home fans.

The Garda Review investigation will also reveal that a group of Bohemians hooligans have linked up with around 15 Wrexham supporters that are known to the British police as troublemakers. Last year the Wrexham hooligans attempted to join a planned riot at the north Dublin derby between Bohemians and Shelbourne.

Last night one of Bohemians' directors, Denis Maher, confirmed it was widespread knowledge in Irish football that cocaine was exacerbating the new hooligan problem. 'It's true to say the rise in trouble by a small minority is made worse by drugs. Cocaine and other drugs are prevalent in Dublin so it's hardly a surprise.

'It's worrying that there has been this increase in violence at certain games, especially in the streets outside stadiums. The gardai are right to be concerned.'