The licensee of an Oranmore pub was told to pay €500 to charity to avoid a conviction after a group of debutantes were caught drinking on the premises at 9.30am.
Aine Conneely with an address at Kiltrogue, Claregalway, and licensee of The Thatch Bar, Main Street, Oranmore, was summoned to appear before Galway District Court last week. She pleaded guilty to selling intoxicating liquor to five people and to permitting them to be on the premises during the prohibited times of 11.30pm on September 18, 2008, and 10.30am the following day.
Inspector Ernie White told the court that at 9.30am on September 19, Sgt John Gormally went in to The Thatch Bar where he found a number of people in debs outfits drinking pints of beer and they were told to leave.
The defendant’s solicitor told the court that Conneely had not been there at the time as she had been off sick with an injured back and a friend, who had worked for her previously, opened the pub instead. Unfortunately he opened too early and a group of young debutantes went in and he served them. The court also heard that Conneely has no previous convictions and had held the licence for four years.
“It’s not the worst breach of licensing laws,” said Judge Mary Fahy.
Sgt Gormally said that the premises was usually good and that the debutantes “were just about old enough to drink”.
Judge Fahy accepted Conneely’s explanation but warned that a third conviction could mean the end of her licence. Conneely was then given an opportunity to pay €500 to the Spina Bifida Association by February 9, 2009, and if this is done the Probation Act will be applied.
