A farmer who allowed cattle and sheep to starve on his farm was fined £1,300 and ordered to pay £428 expenses at a court in Connemara yesterday. Patrick Molloy, Camp Street, Oughterard, admitted ill-treating animals at his farm at Glann, Oughterard, last February and March.
Mr J.J. Mannion, defending solicitor, said his client had allowed his farm to become overstocked but had now reduced the animals from 80 to 14. His client had spent a lot of time caring for his elderly mother and had neglected the animals. The county council did not want him to bury the dead animals on his land because of the water courses and he had difficulty getting a renderer. Judge John Garavan said the conditions to which the animals were subjected were "gross and vile".
