Danny Healy-Rae convicted of ‘after hours’ pub activity

Kerry county councillor and publican Danny Healy-Rae has been convicted of allowing people to consume alcohol "after hours" in his premises at Main Street, Kilgarvan in October 2013. The councillor pleaded guilty to the charge.

Kenmare District Court was told 30 people were on the premises when gardaí arrived shortly before 2am on October 12th, 2013 - an hour after they should have been there.

Garda Supt Flor Murphy said when gardaí arrived at 1.55am, “there were 30 people in the pub”.

"Drinking up time was between 12.30 and 1am," Supt Murphy told Kenmare District Court.

Mr Healy-Rae had one previous conviction for after hours. That conviction was in 2012, the court was told.

Mr Healy-Rae's solicitor Eoin Brosnan said the Healy-Rae bar was "a very well run premises". The bar was an hour over time because of a family birthday party. Most of those present were there because of the birthday party and the other customers had all gone home, the solicitor said.

The 60-year-old councillor and publican was initially summonsed last December before Kenmare District Court on two separate allegations of after hours - that of Oct 12th, 2013 and another in relation to a Sunday night in March 2014.

On that occasion, Mr Brosnan asked for all documents such as garda notebooks to be furnished to him and the matter was adjourned to allow for that.

When the matter was called, Mr Brosnan said the allegations of March 2014 had been withdrawn. His client was pleading to the “after hours” summons of Garda James Hendrick in relation to October 12th, 2013 - of allowing people to consume alcohol at a time prohibited by the licence.

Judge James O’Connor convicted Mr Healy-Rae and fined him €150 with seven months to pay.