This article is from page 8 of the 2013-10-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
JAIL terms have been handed down to three men involved in a major public order disturbance in the centre of Ennis last year.
Passing sentence at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court last week, Judge Gerard Keys said, “A message must go out from this court that this constant feuding must stop.”
He was speaking as Bernie McDonagh Snr (46) (Ashline, Kilrush Road, Ennis and Nashes Boreen Cork), his son Bernie McDonagh Jnr (21) (Ashline, Kilrush Road, Ennis and Nashes Boreen, Cork City) and brother Christopher McDonagh (38) (Childer’s Road, Cloughleigh) all received prison sentences for their involvement in an incident at the Maid of Erin roundabout on October 14, 2012.
Father of 10 Bernie McDonagh Snr drove at speed the wrong way around a roundabout, nine times, in pursuit of a Hiace carrying members of the Doherty family.
He rammed three vehicles including a garda before eventually being restrained using pepper spray. A young child was in Mr McDonagh’s car at the time.
The court heard Mr McDonagh was the victim of a brutal assault in 2010 when he lost his finger after being attacked with a machete after pick- ing up his children from school. The court heard the incident at the Maid of Erin was sparked by a violent altercation at a wedding in Ennis days earlier.
In a victim impact statement, a female garda described how she suffered severe psychological trauma following the violent incident.
“It was my belief that I was going to be seriously or fatally injured,” she added.
Judge Keys said the men acted as if they were “above the law” on the night.
Sentencing Mr McDonagh to a total of four years in prison, Judge Keys said the accused displayed a “total disregard for law and order”.
“You conduct on this occasion can only be described as outrageous,” he added.
His son Bernie McDonagh Jnr (21) also received sentences totalling four years.
He arrived with two others to the Maid of Erin and “savagely attacked” victim John Doherty with a Stanley knife.
Mr Doherty was slashed repeatedly in the back and neck. “I felt like my time was up. I prayed to God for strength,” said Mr Doherty in his victim impact report.
The McDonaghs were ordered not to have any future contact with the Dohertys.
Father of six Christopher McDon- agh received a 16-month sentence for the production of an iron bar and violent disorder.
The court heard gardaí were surprised at Christopher McDonagh’s involvement. He was described in court as a devoted family man who had never bee in serious trouble before.
A 17 year-old who produced a hatchet was ordered to remain under the supervision of the Probation Services. His case was adjourned to 2014.
During that incident, Garda Martin O’Brien, a former League of Ireland referee, was used as a human shield between the boy and the person he approached.