This article is from page 9 of the 2006-01-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 9 JPG
THE WORDS of the famous song ‘Summer in Dublin’ were uttered during a district court case, after a judge was told that a garda stuck his head through the trees and saw a young man smoking a joint in the town park in Shannon.
Defence solicitor Stephen Nicholas made the reference in the case of Edward Dooney (26), of Cluain Airne, Shannon, charged with possession of cannabis, at Shannon town park, on July 15, 2005.
The court heard the accused was found in possession of one joint.
Mr Nicholas said his client is in good employment and has been in a relationship for the past eight years.
He said when he was younger, he used to take cannabis. On the date of the offence he had met a friend who gave him a joint.
As he lay on the grass on the fine summer’s day smoking, a garda “stuck his head through the trees and caught him,” said the solicitor and this prompted the reference to Bagatelle.
“I remember that summer in Dublin and the Liffey stank like hell…is the song that springs to mind, but I am not going to sing it,” said Mr Nicholas.
Judge Joseph Mangan adjourned the case for two months, to allow for a professional report re drug and alcohol abuse to be carried out.