Latest news with #Meelick
Irish Times
14 hours ago
- Irish Times
Former Ryanair pilot accused of having €10m cannabis for sale is granted bail
A former Ryanair pilot charged with having an estimated €10 million of cannabis for sale or supply has been granted bail after the Court of Appeal overturned a decision by the High Court. As a condition of his bail, Brendan O'Mara (62) must surrender his pilot's licence due to a concern he might avoid justice by procuring an aircraft at a private airfield to leave the jurisdiction. Mr Justice John Edwards said the court did have concerns Mr O'Mara could be a flight risk due to the fact that a short time before being arrested, he arranged to emigrate to the United States. However, the court's concerns were not at a level to deny the accused bail. Mr O'Mara, of An Tulach, Summerhill, Meelick, Co Clare, is charged with possessing cannabis for sale or supply, at his home address on May 7th this year. READ MORE He was arrested after gardaí and customs officers discovered pallets at his home in Meelick, allegedly containing cannabis weighing an estimated 502kg, with a street value of over €10 million. He was refused bail at the High Court recently but appealed this decision before the Court of Appeal on Wednesday. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC said that Ms Justice Eileen Creedon in the High Court had refused the accused bail, as she ruled the accused was a flight risk due to being a commercial pilot who had access to airfields. Mr Bowman said the evidential basis of that was lacking, as the accused does not have access to any airfield and is not a member of an airfield. Mr Justice Edwards said that it was still a theoretical possibility that the accused could procure an aircraft, to which Mr Bowman said his client was willing to surrender his pilot's licence, meaning that 'short of stealing an aircraft, he can't get one'. Mr Bowman went on to say that an independent surety of €150,000 was being offered by the accused's sister, and the accused would also surrender all his documentation. Counsel for the State, Roisin Lacey SC said that the accused has access to aircraft to remove him from the jurisdiction, with 50 years' experience in that trade meaning he would have a number of contacts. Ms Lacey said that if he were to leave the jurisdiction, it was not known what access he would have to other aircraft. She also said that the accused had previously made preparations to leave Ireland with his family and begin work in America. In delivering the court's ruling, Mr Justice Edwards said that the charge against the accused was a very serious one, which carried a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. He noted that the accused was a commercial pilot by profession, who had worked for Ryanair until recently, so he was used to crossing borders. 'In theory, he could obtain the use of an aircraft at a private airfield and pilot it out of the jurisdiction and use that as the staging post to move further afield and avoid justice,' said Mr Justice Edwards. He went on to say that what was more concerning was the fact that a short time before the accused was arrested, he had made arrangements to emigrate to the United States. 'It is correct to say that we do have concerns about flight, but not at the level that requires us to deny bail absolutely,' said Mr Justice Edwards. Bail was granted, with conditions that the accused provide an independent surety of €150,000, as well as his own bond of €70,000, €35,000 of which is to be lodged; he must provide a mobile phone number to gardaí and sign on daily at the garda station; he must not leave the jurisdiction and surrender his passport and all pilot's licences; he must give an undertaking not to attend at any airfield; he must reside at his family home in Co. Clare; he must not apply for any aviation job at any level; he must keep the peace and be of good behaviour; and he must not apply for any travel documentation, nor travel into Northern Ireland.
BreakingNews.ie
15 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Former Ryanair pilot charged with €10m cannabis haul granted bail upon appeal
A former Ryanair pilot charged with having an estimated €10 million of cannabis for sale or supply has been granted bail after the Court of Appeal overturned a decision by the High Court. As a condition of his bail, Brendan O'Mara (62) must surrender his pilot's licence due to a concern he might avoid justice by procuring an aircraft at a private airfield to leave the jurisdiction. Advertisement Mr Justice John Edwards said the court did have concerns Mr O'Mara could be a flight risk due to the fact that, a short time before being arrested, he arranged to emigrate to the United States. However, the court's concerns were not at a level to deny the accused bail. Mr O'Mara, of An Tulach, Summerhill, Meelick, Co Clare, is charged with possessing cannabis for sale or supply at his home address on May 7th this year. He was arrested after gardaí and Customs officers discovered pallets at his home in Meelick, allegedly containing cannabis weighing an estimated 502kg, with a street value of over €10 million. He was refused bail at the High Court recently but appealed this decision before the Court of Appeal on Wednesday. Advertisement Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC said that Ms Justice Eileen Creedon in the High Court had refused the accused bail, as she ruled the accused was a flight risk due to being a commercial pilot who had access to airfields. Mr Bowman said the evidential basis of that was lacking, as the accused does not have access to any airfield and is not a member of an airfield. Mr Justice Edwards said that it was still a theoretical possibility that the accused could procure an aircraft, to which Mr Bowman said his client was willing to surrender his pilot's licence, meaning that 'short of stealing an aircraft, he can't get one'. Mr Bowman went on to say that an independent surety of €150,000 was being offered by the accused's sister, and the accused would also surrender all his documentation. Advertisement Counsel for the State, Roisin Lacey SC, said that the accused has access to aircraft to remove him from the jurisdiction, with 50 years' experience in that trade, meaning he would have a number of contacts. Ms Lacey said that if he were to leave the jurisdiction, it was not known what access he would have to other aircraft. She also said that the accused had previously made preparations to leave Ireland with his family and begin work in America. In delivering the court's ruling, Mr Justice Edwards said that the charge against the accused was a very serious one, which carried a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. He noted that the accused was a commercial pilot by profession, who had worked for Ryanair until recently, so he was used to crossing borders. 'In theory, he could obtain the use of an aircraft at a private airfield and pilot it out of the jurisdiction and use that as the staging post to move further afield and avoid justice,' said Mr Justice Edwards. Advertisement He went on to say that what was more concerning was the fact that a short time before the accused was arrested, he had made arrangements to emigrate to the United States. 'It is correct to say that we do have concerns about flight, but not at the level that requires us to deny bail absolutely,' said Mr Justice Edwards. Bail was granted, with conditions that the accused provide an independent surety of €150,000, as well as his own bond of €70,000, €35,000 of which is to be lodged; he must provide a mobile phone number to gardaí and sign on daily at the garda station; he must not leave the jurisdiction and surrender his passport and all pilot's licences; he must give an undertaking not to attend at any airfield; he must reside at his family home in Co. Clare; he must not apply for any aviation job at any level; he must keep the peace and be of good behaviour; and he must not apply for any travel documentation, nor travel into Northern Ireland.
BreakingNews.ie
09-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Former Ryanair pilot charged in connection with €10m drugs seizure to apply for bail in High Court
A former Ryanair pilot who is charged in connection with the possession of more than €10 million worth of drugs is to make an application for bail in the High Court on Thursday, a court has heard. At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Brendan O'Mara (62) of An Tulach, Summerhill, Meelick, Co Clare, was making his fifth court appearance concerning the Garda seizure of an estimated €10 million in cannabis at Mr O'Mara's south east Clare home on May 7th. Advertisement Mr O'Mara was today appearing in court via video-link from a booth at Limerick prison after a judge refused Mr O'Mara bail at a special sitting of Ennis District Court on May 10th following Garda objections. Judge Gabbett asked if there was any news on DPP directions, and Sgt Frank O'Grady said that DPP directions are still outstanding. Judge Gabbett said: 'Time is moving on here. I appreciate there are Forensic Science Ireland certs, but he has been in custody since the 10th of May - two months in custody - and we need to start getting directions here." Solicitor for Mr O'Mara, Ted McCarthy, said: 'The bail hearing for Mr O'Mara has been fixed specially before the High Court for tomorrow afternoon.' Judge Gabbett told Mr O'Mara that if he does secure High Court bail, he must turn up to court in person on July 23rd. From the video-link booth, Mr O'Mara said: 'Take care. Hope to see you on the 23rd.' Mr O'Mara faces two charges - possessing cannabis for sale or supply, and possessing cannabis, on May 7th. Advertisement At the contested bail hearing on May 10th, gardaí told the court Mr O'Mara made no reply to the charges after caution, and that 'further, and more serious charges' may be brought against him in respect of the case where gardaí seized an estimated 502kg of cannabis. Sergeant Rob Sheehy of the Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit, said he was objecting to bail because of the 'strength and nature of the evidence' as well as the high value of the drugs. He told the court that the Garda investigation was in its 'infancy', but he said gardaí believed that 'it stretches to a number of countries and there are a number of persons that need to be established'. He claimed Mr O'Mara was also a flight risk, due to his 'aeronautical knowledge', that he has a number of pilot's licenses, and has links to the USA. Advertisement Applying for bail on May 10th, solicitor Tara Godfrey said the accused has 'three pilot's licences including a helicopter licence, a UK pilot licence and a EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) licence', and he would 'hand over' his licences to the State and not leave the country. 'His Ryanair crew card is being returned to his former employers,' Ms Godfrey said. Ireland Michael Flatley being portrayed as a villain rathe... Read More Ms Godfrey said a sister of Mr O'Mara was in the court and had pledged to act as an independent bail surety for the accused for up to €177,000. Appealing for the court not to hold the accused in custody, Ms Godfrey said Mr O'Mara 'has offered up all the means he could to leave this country' and has significant ties here. She said: 'He enjoys the presumption of innocence.' Judge Gabbett remanded Mr O'Mara in custody to re-appear at Ennis District Court on July 23rd.
Irish Times
25-06-2025
- Irish Times
Former Ryanair pilot further remanded over €10m cannabis seizure
A former Ryanair pilot charged in connection with the possession of more than €10 million of cannabis is in the process of having the material independently analysed, a court has heard. At Ennis District Court, solicitor Ted McCarthy said the independent analysis of the material will help determine a bail application for Brendan O'Mara. Mr O'Mara (62), of An Tulach, Summerhill, Meelick, Co Clare, was making his fifth court appearance following the seizure of about 500kg of cannabis valued at an estimated €10 million at his home on May 7th. Mr O'Mara appeared in court via video-link from Limerick Prison after a judge refused him bail at a special sitting of Ennis District Court on May 10th following Garda objections. READ MORE Sgt John Burke told the court the Garda investigation is complex and 'involved the seizure of €10 million worth of cannabis'. He said two gardaí are working full-time on the investigation, which involves international contacts and ongoing inquiries into devices that were also seized. 'I take on board what the State has said,' Mr McCarthy said. 'We ourselves are in the process of having the material independently analysed. 'The outcome of that will determine our bail application, which is imminent.' Judge Alec Gabbett remanded Mr O'Mara in custody to appear again at Ennis District Court on July 9th. Mr O'Mara faces two charges – possessing cannabis for sale or supply, and possessing cannabis. At a bail hearing on May 10th, gardaí told the court Mr O'Mara made no reply to the charges after caution, and that 'further, and more serious charges' may be brought against him.
RTÉ News
21-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Short border, long history: Storied Tipperary-Galway rivalry
It's not the longest border. Only 30km or so. And by land it measures just 12 metres, the width of the Portumna swing bridge. But there is no older inter-county hurling rivalry than Galway and Tipperary. The counties met in the very first All-Ireland final in April 1888 (actually the 1887 championship) when Tipp's representatives Thurles beat Galway's Meelick by 1-01 to no score in Birr, then known as Parsonstown. The teams had 21 players each and referee Patrick White presumably had little choice but to throw in the red sliotar and let the game flow. Though most reports reckon he sent off Meelick's John Lowry after an opponent retired injured, in the days before substitutes. The goal was scored by either Tommy Healy or Jim Healy. We salute & remember the Tipperary team (rep by Thurles) that defeated Galway (rep by Meelick) at Birr on this day, Easter Sunday, April 1st 1888 to win the 1st All Ireland Hurling Final which completed the 1887 Championship. Photo: Tipperary's GAA Story by Canon Philip Fogarty — Tipperary GAA (@TipperaryGAA) April 1, 2018 Travelling downriver from where Galway, Offaly and Tipperary meet – near Shannonbridge - Meelick-Eyrecourt, Killimor (authors of hurling's first rules in 1869) and Portumna GAA clubs all draw players just across the Shannon from Tipperary, until it widens into Lough Derg. On the east bank is Lorrha-Dorrha, home of Tony Reddin (actually a Galway man, who only transferred aged 28), Ken Hogan and Patrick 'Bonner' Maher. It was Galway's misfortune to be located in a province they dominated - Mayo (1909) and Roscommon (1913) won one Connacht SHC each when it was contested - and deprived of championship clashes with neighbours Clare and Offaly by those counties' lack of provincial success. Offaly didn't win Leinster until 1980. Galway's border with Clare is nearly three times as long as that with Tipperary but over the many decades that the Tribesmen played a maximum of two championship games per year, Clare didn't emerge from Munster too often. So both counties' 'anTippathy' grew stronger instead. It took the Tribesmen 36 years and nine (mostly semi-final) defeats before getting off the mark against Tipperary. Having lost the 1922 semi, delayed by the civil war until August 1923, Galway gained revenge at the same stage a year later (3-01 to 2-03), only to lose the 2024 final to Dublin, three months after beating Limerick for their first title. Tipp got their own back in the '25 decider, concluding what was to be the first epic trilogy between the counties on a 5-06 to 1-05 scoreline. There were only six more meetings over the subsequent 62 years and Tipperary won them all, including the All-Ireland of 1958, which was Galway's last final appearance until 1975, by which time the Premier had waned as a force in Munster. They also met in the 1961 Munster semi-final after what proved Galway's only victory (over Clare) in a decade-long relocation to the province. Leinster has proved a relatively happier hunting ground. If the Ulster hurling championship gets going again maybe they could make a guest appearance and complete the set? Galway had re-emerged as a force by the middle of the next decade and contested three All-Ireland finals in a row from 1979-81, bridging a 67-year gap in 1980, when the West was awoken. Tipp native Micheal 'Babs' Keating had been Galway coach to Farrell's trainer in '79 but was not part of the victorious setup the following year. The men in maroon were again runners-up in 1985-86, to Offaly and Cork, and were waiting hungrily after Tipperary captain Richie Stakelum declared 'The famine is over' in Babs' first championship season in '87. It was in Munster anyway. But though Nicky English scored the first point just nine seconds into the All-Ireland semi-final, Galway immediately hit back with a goal from Martin Naughton and led by four at half-time. Two majors from Pat Fox had Tipp ahead going into the closing stages but, following a contentiously disallowed English point, a goal from Éanna Ryan put Galway back in front and Noel Lane sealed the 3-20 to 2-17 victory. It was third time lucky on the big day as Galway beat Kilkenny by six, Lane again finding the net, and they defeated Offaly in the '88 semi-finals to seal a fourth consecutive final appearance. Their opponents were Tipp, playing their first final since 1971. Defences dominated this time, English and Fox being kept quiet as Galway edged it 1-15 to 0-14, and Lane scoring the sole goal in the final for the second year in a row. It remains the only time Galway have gone back to back. Closing stages of the 1988 All-Ireland Hurling final The rivalry had now been firmly rekindled. Babs felt his team had been roughed up in the final and publicly questioned Galway's tactics. Farrell bristled back. They met again in front of over 35,000 at Croke Park in the 1989 league final that April, Galway maintaining their superiority on a 2-16 to 4-08 scoreline. In Munster, the Premier then made it three in a row against surprise finalists Waterford but controversy overshadowed the All-Ireland semi-final rematch with the champions. The late Galway centre-back Tony Keady was the Hurler of the Year and had stayed on for a few weeks in New York after the All-Star tour in May. He played for the New York Laois club in a win over their Tipperary counterparts, and was reported and banned for two games in the Big Apple for playing under an assumed name - his brother Bernard's. When word reached Croke Park, however, the reigning Hurler of the Year was hit with a 12-month suspension for playing without clearance. Galway were scandalised as it seemed Keady was being made a rare example of for a common practice. It later emerged that Tipp defender Paul Delaney had done the same thing but escaped a ban. Farrell threatened to boycott the game if the ban wasn't lifted but the GAA's management committee voted 20-18 to uphold the decision, Tipperary's delegate voting in Keady's favour but some of Galway's Connacht neighbours opted to maintain the suspension. Keating described the subsequent match as "a nasty affair". Despite Keady's replacement Sean Tracey having a fine game, Galway were too fired up and referee John Denton sent off Sylvie Linnane and Michael 'Hopper' McGrath while John Leahy got away with a pull across Pete Finnerty, later admitting: "I was very lucky to stay on the field. I suppose the two of us bent the rules a small bit in our time. They were hard games." Finnerty reflected: "Nobody ever told John Leahy I didn't have a sister. Nowadays he might have been able to google it and find out' Tipp won 1-17 to 2-11, Éanna Ryan scoring both Galway goals but English hitting eight points. The Premier had 18 points to spare on Antrim in the final. There were further semi-final meetings in '91 and '93, Tipperary handing out a hammering on the way to regaining Liam MacCarthy in the former and a much-changed Galway getting revenge two years later. Then a seven-year gap to a first quarter-final and renewal of final hostilities in 2001: Tipp, managed by English, ended a 43-year wait for a final win against the Westerners, Mark O'Leary (2-01) and Eoin Kelly scoring seven apiece as they won 2-18 to 2-15, surviving a late, disallowed Kevin Broderick goal. There was only a point between them in 2003 (Tipperary), two in 2005 (Galway) and one again in the 2010 quarter-final when Tipperary went on to stop Kilkenny's five-in-a-row bid in the final after edging an electric contest 3-17 to 3-16. Tipperary did have nine to spare in a 2014 qualifier but that was only after a Seamus Callanan hat-trick spearheaded a late fightback from six down. Tipp were beaten by the Cats in a final replay. The next three years saw three classic All-Ireland semi-finals, each decided by a single point. Substitute Shane Maloney won it for Galway with his first touch in 2015, taking a Joe Canning pass to make it 0-26 to 3-16, Callanan scoring 3-09 for the losers. Anthony Cunningham's men lost the final to Kilkenny by four points. In 2016, Canning went off injured at half-time but Galway still led on the hour, before John McGrath set up sub John 'Bubbles' O'Dwyer for a goal and scored one himself as Tipp edged it 2-19 to 2-18. They beat Kilkenny by nine. Here's the moment that decided ANOTHER #GALvTIPP classic! Joe Canning's late point sent @Galway_GAA into the 2017 All-Ireland Hurling Final! — The GAA (@officialgaa) August 6, 2017 The following year was decided by a Canning wonder point (his 11th) five minutes into injury-time, Galway winning 0-22 to 1-18. They bridged a 29-year gap to All-Ireland glory in the final against Waterford. Galway have won both subsequent championship meetings. A quarter-final in 2020 – Aidan Harte the unlikely late goalscoring hero after reigning champions Tipperary had had Cathal Barrett sent off – and another in 2023, when the Tribesmen were on top throughout but had to survive a late scare to win by two points after hitting 18 wides. Their respective provincial displays to date make Tipperary favourites today but history tells us Galway will always raise their game at the sight of the blue and gold jersey.
