There was some confusion and merriment over the reasons for a no-show at Ballinasloe District Court, with the Judge quipping “there could be a song in that.”
Brian Michael McDonagh of 25, Curragh Park, Ballinasloe was due to appear before Judge James Faughnan to answer charges being preferred to him regarding an alleged trespass in Portumna on July 27, 2025.
The Judge was informed that the defendant had contacted the Courts Services to say that he had been on his way there from Mullingar, driven by his brother in his van, but Gardaí has stopped the van en route and seized it for reasons that will, no doubt, be outlined to some Court in the near future. This left Brian Michael stranded and unable to fulfil his obligation to turn up as summoned to Ballinasloe Court.
Judge Faughnan quipped: “There’s a song in that.” He asked Garda Sgt Christy Brown if he accepted Mr McDonagh had a valid reason for not turning up.
However, the Sergeant was unimpressed, explaining that in another version of McDonagh’s travel arrangements, the defendant claimed he was coming to Ballinasloe by train, not van.
“I don’t think the train was seized,” he opined.
Adjourning the matter, Judge Faughnan issued a bench warrant to make sure that however McDonagh planned to travel to the next sitting of the Court, he gets there the next day.
