GAA HOOLIGANS USING WEB TO RECRUIT THUGS; Hate messages posted on site.

Byline: By SONYA McLEAN

HOOLIGANS hoping to create havoc at GAA games are using the internet to recruit teenage gang members.

The louts, who call themselves The Mayo Firm and The Cults, are using teen site Bebo to stir up trouble.

So far 47 young men have signed up as "friends" on The Cults page.

A picture on the site shows rioters trying to push back a police barricade with a Mayo crest in the top left corner.

Many of the members' profile pictures show usual teenage likes such as Premiership football club crests and souped-up cars.

But six teenagers described as "the people" on the site's photo album have more disturbing photos linked with them.

One, known as "The Boss", is pictured wearing a balaclava, while others described as the "Barbarian", "Bert", and "The Triplets" have their eyes blacked out.

The group advises teenagers going to games to wear scarves or baseball caps "or anything like that, so if there's any trouble people can't name ya".

The yobs target potential members by posting invitations on other Mayothemed Bebo sites.

One posting claims group members enjoy seeing "Dublin skangers get battered by pigs in McHale Park".

They advertise their meeting place as being behind the goal at the Albany end of McHale Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo, which they say "was crawling with Dublin scum a few weeks ago" .

The group boast that they will make the Albany end "Mayo-only".

Many of the comments on the site's white board are disturbing.

One posting states: "I gt ur mail bout leadin dat gang no bother ill do dat!!!"

Another fan writes: "Cum on Mayo! F*** the dubs! I'd luv ta join the firm."

One female visitor begs to join the male-only group.

She writes: "I know u only let fellas n ur group but plz add r accept me, I always know how to get ppl goin! plz!"

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CAPTION(S):

FAN BASE: Mayo's GAA crest