AssaultedGAAclub officialafterMass

April 1994

A father with a grievance about the way his son was treated by a GAA club has been convicted of assaulting one of the club officers at Mass.

[NAME AND ADDRESS WITHELD] was dealt with at a special sitting of Enniscorthy District Court last Friday.

The main witness was [NAME WITHELD], treasurer and vice-president of the club, who was assaulted at the Holy Thursday ceremony at the local church.

He described how he was seized by the neck from behind as he left the crowded church, and was called ‘a slut’.

The defendant suggested that [ WITNESS] should be ashamed to take communion. The witness’s wife spoke however of how [DEFENDANT] grabbed her husband by the back of the coat, forcing him around and making him take a bow.

Congregation member [ WITNESS 2] was in court to verify that [DEFENDANT] had his hand on the back of the alleged victim’s neck and tried to make him bow. The incident took place near the holy water at the back of the church after [DEFENDANT] came across from another aisle.

Defending solicitor Cathal O’Donohe explained that the bad feeling arose before his client’s son did not receive a county medal at the official presentation ceremony despite being a sub on a team that had won an underage title.

[DEFENDANT] denied the assault charge though he did admit leaning over the aisle to speak to the other man about the way his son was treated. The defendant recalled telling him that he and another named club official should be downright ashamed.

The defendant’s wife was sworn in to tell the court that she saw her husband doing nothing. However, Judge Donnchadh O’Buachalla found the assault proven and he felt that [DEFENDANT] has used language likely to lead to a breach of the peace.

He told the accused man that his concern for his son was right but that he had gone beyond the beyond on this occasion. Deep distress had been caused to the officers of the club, and his conduct on Holy Thursday had been misguided.

A fine of £40 was imposed for the assault while the defendant was also bound to the peace for two years on a bond of £100.