GARDAÍ ARE INVESTIGATING after three young males, including a 14-year-old boy, received stab wounds in series of attacks overnight in Limerick.

The attacks occurred in the vicinity of Corbally Baths, near the Mill Road, a normally quiet suburb.

When gardaí responded to the area they discovered an ambulance crew treating a 14-year-old boy for minor stab wounds, sources said.

An 18-year-old boy and 16-year-old boy also received serious but non-life threatening stab wounds.

A garda source said they believe all three incidents are linked, and that they all happened in the same general area, around the same time.

Gardaí were alerted to the scene after locals reported “a lot of activity and shouting”, and people running “up and down the street”.

They said they were concerned the alleged incidents had occurred early in the night close to houses, with “a crowd of about 15 youths plus”.

The source said there was “a need for street lights at Corbally Baths, even to support gardaí”.

The area is a well-known local beauty spot, located along the banks of the River Shannon.

A garda spokeswoman said:

Gardaí are investigating an alleged assault that occurred in a park at Corbally Baths, Corbally, Limerick on the 11 October 2019 at approximately 8.30pm. A man in his teens received stabs wounds and was taken to University Hospital Limerick by ambulance with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

“A male in his late teens was allegedly involved in an altercation with other youths in a park at Corbally Baths and was taken to UHL with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.”

The spokesman confirmed a third youth had received “minor stab wounds”.

The motive for the attacks was unclear, however, the spokeswoman said, “investigations are ongoing”.

There were no reports of any arrests.

Extra gardaí 

While the Corbally Baths area is used by walkers during the daytime, it is also frequented by gangs of youths in the evenings and at night.

Last February the area experienced a deluge of local youth gangs engaging in anti-social behaviour and violence.

Extra garda resources were pumped into the normally peaceful community after a local teenager was slashed in the face in an unprovoked attack last February.

Last January a heritage sign at the historic baths was destroyed, prompting locals to seek the deployment of gardaí on bicycles to the area.