Brawl offenders will be identified using CCTV and social media videos
Positive identifications are expected of the youths involved in a mass brawl in a Cork suburb at the weekend.
CCTV images as well as videos circulated on social media are expected to lead gardai to the offenders, who were filmed viciously punching and kicking each other in Mount Oval Village, Rochestown shortly before 8pm on Saturday.
When gardai arrived at the scene the youths dispersed and no injuries have been reported.
The brawl prompted an outcry from concerned residents, parents and politicians. It is part of a spate of mass teen gatherings erupting in violence in the city and county since lockdown.
Fine Gael Councillor Deirdre Forde who represents the area said: "One of our senior gardai said that students from two schools were involved in the fight and you can be sure that they will be talking to principals and paying a call to the parents."
"The residents are rightly disgusted with what went on. It puts terrible pressure on the businesses that are still open there and it's usually a peaceful place, residents pay their taxes and rates and they deserve a decent quality of life."
Ms Forde praised the gardai's response to the incident but said that continued patrols of the area are needed. She said that a security system has been reinstated in the area, with a security guard available to respond to anti-social behaviour.
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She called for the open spaces on the estate to be in council control so that they can more effectively deal with any future problems.
A youth engagement initiative was suggested last night in Cork City Council in which the Cork Education and Training Board (CETB) and the Football Association of Ireland would partner to provide football training to engage young people throughout the lockdown.
But Ms Forde said that ultimately, responsibility for teenagers and young people "comes down to a certain amount of parental control".
Rochestown is not the only suburb hit by youth violence last weekend.
An arrest was made after about 50 young people gathered in Cobh on Saturday.
One youth was hospitalised after injuring their hand while trying to climb a fence during the incident in the Ballynoe area of Cobh. And reports were made earlier last week of groups disregarding social distancing measures in the town.
A violent incident involving young people also broke out on May 14 at 3.30pm on Ballincollig's Main Street.