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An Irish publican has told how a rampaging Irish gang in the Canaries has forced bars to close after a string of vicious fights.

Brendan Byrne, originally from Bree in Wexford, runs Dicey Reilly’s bar in Puerto Del Carmen, Lanzarote.

He claimed that a group of Irish Travellers is fighting and breaking up bars in the usually peaceful Old Town on the island.

Speaking to Joe Duffy on Liveline today, he revealed the damage the gang did to his bar.

He said: “They walked into my bar, got up on the music stage, broke music equipment while the musician was playing and the music had to stop and then they started throwing glasses around the place.

“They walked around into another bar, started a row with customers, the bar owner went over to them and they gave the bar owner a couple of boxes.”

Brendan tried to approach the brazen gang but they brushed him off.

They said: “As long as we’re in this bar, we own the bar. We own this island as long as we are on the island. We will do what we like.”

Brendan said he served them because legally, he can’t refuse customers straight away. But then they smashed glasses and started bare knuckle boxing fights, leaving revellers terrified.

The gang apparently organised another punch-up with a referee on New Year’s Eve but it was broken up by police shortly after it kicked off.

One of the bar men in Brendan’s pub was threatened by one of the group on Thursday because he refused to serve him.

The staff member wouldn’t serve him as a result of violence in his bar the night before. They told the barman “We know where you live.”

His regular customers walked out of the bar in fear as they feel intimidated.

“Publicans who are here for 17 years are really afraid,” he added.