Gardai were called late on Friday night when fighting between guests at the double traveller wedding spilled over into the streets in a seaside resort.

Four ambulance crews tended to the injured. Some were ferried to Sligo General Hospital but nobody was detained overnight.

A motorist sitting in his car was dragged from the vehicle as it was hijacked by a man who then drove it towards people on the pavement.

Eyewitnesses said batons and pieces of furniture were used in the punch-up, which started towards the end of the wedding celebrations in the Holyrood Hotel, Bundoran.

It happened just hours after the hotel hosted the finals of a 10,000 wedding contest on local radio. The competition was unconnected to the later fracas.

The marriage services, between members of the Ward and McDonagh clans, had taken place earlier more than 70 miles away in Knock, Co Mayo.

More than 350 guests from Manchester, Castlebar, Tuam and Ballyhaunis arrived at the hotel at 5.30pm on Friday and sat down to a celebration meal at 7pm.

A special show by country singer Mike Denver was winding up when, according to a hotel spokesman, a row broke out between two people just before 11pm.

The spokesman said: "The brides and their grooms and their families were lovely people. They were having a very enjoyable evening until the behaviour of other elements brought proceedings to an end." He said that within seven minutes all guests were removed from the premises. He insisted no damage or injury was caused inside the hotel.

Gardai said the row continued outside with several people assaulting each other with bottles and other items. Extra officers rushed to the scene and eventually helped calm the opposing factions. A spokesman said: "A motorist was taken from his car and threatened and assaulted.

His car was taken without his permission and later found crashed."

A local senior officer said there were no arrests. He added: "The most pressing need at the time was to disperse them and get them out of town."

Gardai are preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The hotel spokesman said the newly-wed couples had rooms booked in the hotel but they didn't stay.