Three young Tralee men have been given the chance to avoid a conviction for breaching COVID-19 travel restrictions while attending a sulky race on the Killarney-Cork road.
The court was told that the accused were spectators, effectively blocking off the road during the sulky race, but were charged with breaching the 2km travel limit which was in effect at the time.
18-year-old brothers Michael and Patrick McCarthy of The Cottage, Killeen Road, Tralee and their cousin, 19-year-old William McCarthy of Cois Coille, Tralee appeared before Killarney District Court, each facing a single charge under the Health Act.
Inspector Gary O’Carroll told the court that on the 15th April, 2020, during the first lockdown, a sulky race took place on the N22 Killarney-Cork road.
The race, which took place in the townland of Rusheen, Glenflesk, was recorded by a number of parties and posted online.
The inspector said the incident garnered significant media attention and the three accused, Michael, Patrick and William McCarthy, were identified from the footage.
Defending solicitor Pat Mann said all three young men had no previous convictions, were caught up in the emotion of the sulky race, were not riding the animals and were merely spectators.
He said their parents are going mad they left their home that day and breached the 2km travel limit.
Mr Mann added it was an act of idiocy to video the sulky race.
Inspector O’Carroll said the accused men were travelling behind the racers, effectively blocking the road.
However, Judge David Waters said he’d put it out of his mind as this wasn’t the charge to which the men were pleading.
He said that, given their ages and no previous convictions, he’d throw out the charges if they each make a €200 contribution to the Garda Benevolent Fund.
The court heard other people are to face charges in relation to this incident.
