When I have my stockings on, I’ll get you
What farmer allegedly said during row before hitting his ‘arch enemy’ over head with iron bar
A FARMER arrived barefoot at a neighbour’s farmyard and said ‘when I have my stockings on, I’ll get you’ before hitting him across the head with an iron bar, a court has heard.
Brian Gill, 41, alleges that shoeless farmer Brendan Forde, 53, made the threat shortly before striking him.
The farmyard row in Co. Galway was allegedly sparked by Mr Gill, who removed the keys from a tractor which he said was being driven by a 13-year-old member of the Forde family and had brought them into Gort Garda Station for safety reasons.
However, after hearing conflicting versions of two altercations in the Gill farmyard on July 1, 2021 between Mr Gill and two members of the Forde family – including 83-year-old father Michael Forde – Judge Marian O’Leary found Brian Gill and Brendan Forde both guilty of assault.
At Gort District Court, Judge O’Leary said that it is clear that the Fordes and Mr Gill were ‘once friends and neighbours and they are now arch enemies’.
Mr Gill, of Cahermore, Kinvara, Co. Galway, said that he sustained ‘a dent’ on his head from the iron bar assault.
In evidence, Brendan Forde
‘I will never forgive him’
admitted that he struck Mr Gill with the iron bar but it was in selfdefence and denied making the ‘I’ll get you’ threat. Mr Forde told the court: ‘Why would I be that much of a fool?’
Judge O’Leary found Brendan Forde, 53, of Caherawoneen, Kinvara, Co. Galway, guilty of assault causing harm of Mr Gill and producing a weapon capable of inflicting serious injury.
Judge O’Leary said: ‘The use of the iron bar was not in self defence and not proportionate in the circumstances.
‘Brendan Forde is very lucky not to before a court on more serious charges.’
The judge said that ‘by his own admission, Brian Gill punched Brendan Forde in the eye and is guilty of assault’.
Both men gave conflicting accounts of their altercation in the farmyard. Mr Gill said that while sitting in the car, Michael Forde started poking him with a stick. Mr Gill said that he defended himself and shoved the stick back in which clipped the nose of Michael Forde. Mr Gill said that he took the keys out of the ignition of Mr Forde’s car.
Michael Forde told the court that Mr Gill punched him in the face. Mr Gill denied punching Michael Forde and told the court that he wasn’t charged with his assault. Mr Forde – who required the aid of a stick to get to the witness box – said: ‘I was an 80-yearold man at the time.
‘I’m not in great shape and I didn’t expect anyone to beat up an 80-year-old.’
He said: ‘I never, ever had a cross word with anyone in my life. I am 83 and I have no enemies.’
Michael Forde said that he was best friends of Mr Gill’s parents. He said: ‘The Gills were the best neighbours... We helped each other and I taught his grandfather how to drive a car.’
He added: ‘I can forgive Brian Gill over what happened but I will never forgive him for the things he said that day. My wife died at 42 years of age from cancer and he started giving out about my wife. She is dead 35 years and she should be left in peace.’
He said: ‘I will never forgive him. Never forgive him.’
In evidence, Brendan Forde said that he received a call from his father, Michael, ‘that he was in his car at Brian Gill’s and that he was hurt and the keys were taken from him’. Brendan Forde said that he ‘didn’t even put on my shoes and socks I was that worried about him’ and got into his car to go to the Gill farmyard.
He said that on arrival: ‘I put on my shoes and socks and we did our best to plead with Brian Gill to go in and see my father. We didn’t know at this stage if he was hit four times or the once.’
He added that himself and his brother, Ollie, climbed the gate to enter the Gill property ‘and the gate fell with the two of us’.
In evidence, Mr Gill said that there was a bit of shoving and jostling at this stage and Brendan Forde ‘ran towards me with the iron bar and hit me on the head’.
He said: ‘I was dazed for 30 seconds and I could feel the blood running down my face into my eyes.’
Mr Gill said that as he walked past Brendan Forde, Mr Forde said: ‘I’ll give it to you again.’
Mr Gill told the court: ‘I said in my own mind, “You won’t, because you are not going to kill me in my own yard this evening” and I struck him into his right eye with my fist.’ He said that he struck Mr Forde in self defence.
In his version of what occurred, Mr Forde said he picked up an iron bar off the ground and struck Brian Gill. He also denied making the second threat. He said: ‘I didn’t intend to hurt anyone. I used the bar as a protection for myself to get to my father. When that happened at least we got a couple of seconds head start to get away from Brian Gill and get to my father.’
Mr Forde said that Mr Gill ‘punched me full into the face. I am delighted that the gardaí came and they dealt with it from there’.
He said: ‘I was doing my best to protect myself from getting badly hurt.’
Counsel for Mr Gill, barrister Martin Durack, said his client sustained a laceration to his scalp that required seven sutures from Westdoc later that evening.
Fighting back tears, Brendan Forde said: ‘I am sorry if I made a mistake – I did my best to protect myself and my father... I was attacked and attacked and attacked and I am so sorry if that is wrong.’
Mr Durack told Mr Forde ‘you are feigning tears’ and Mr Forde replied: ‘I am doing my best to try to describe what happened.’
The court was told Brendan Forde has no previous convictions and Brian Gill has 14 previous convictions for minor road traffic offences only. Judge O’Leary has adjourned the case with a date to be fixed to allow Brian Gill and Brendan Forde to provide victim impact statements.
‘Punched me full in the face’