This article is from page 12 of the 2006-11-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
ONE solution to the public order crisis in Lahinch is to close nightclubs earlier – that’s according to a judge, who spoke out on the issue last week.
Judge Joseph Mangan was commenting at Ennistymon District Court as one nightclub, at The Claremont Hotel, applied for an exemption until 2am. He granted it, having granted an exemption to Coast nightclub the previous week, but commented on the public order situation in the town.
Several public order cases in Lahinch were heard at the court, as was the case at the last court sitting in September.
“In the absence of any statistics, this court has seen today and last September that the public order situation in Lahinch has not improved and if anything it has disimproved in recent times,” said the judge.
“It seems to me the most prudent thing for the court to do is to shorten exemption times, in an attempt to address the problem,” he added.
The exemptions will take effect for a number of weeks and applications will be made for further exemptions next month.
In another, unrelated case, the judge fined three men involved in a row outside a nightclub in Lahinch, a total of €7,500.
Brothers John (32) and Kevin Darcy (30), of Mullagh Road, Miltown Malbay, and Gary O’Keefe (27), Mullagh, were before the court arising out of an incident in Lahinch, a year ago.
John Darcy pleaded guilty to assaulting a bouncer, damaging a shirt and with engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour and was fined €3,000.
Kevin Darcy pleaded guilty to assaulting Sergeant Michael Gallery and with damaging an off-duty garda’s neck chain. He was fined €2,500.
Gary O’Keeffe was fined €2,000, after admitting assaulting a bouncer and engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour.
Judge Mangan said, “Even by the standards of Lahinch, this was a bad incident.”
He said he was taking their guilty pleas into account and was not going to impose jail sentences.
The comments by the judge came amid ongoing concerns among residents in Lahinch over public order.
Two years ago, locals objected to nightclub licences being granted. They have pledged to oppose exemptions, if public order issues continue to cause concern.
During the summer a petition outlining concerns on public order, was signed by residents in the town and send to Justice Minister Michael McDowell.
Garda management in Clare believe the situation is under control, as Garda manpower has increased in the town.
An additional garda has been stationed in Lahinch full-time, while more back-up is now provided from Ennistymon every Saturday night.