Trouble at Laois National Ploughing Championships raised during licensing application

A JUDGE has warned that if this year’s Ploughing Championships in Co Offaly results in trouble similar to that seen previously in Laois he will not grant a bar licence again.

Speaking at Tullamore District Court, Judge Andrew Cody repeated comments he first made last year about assaults associated with the Ploughing.

“When the National Ploughing Championships was held in Portlaoise (Ratheniska) there were more assaults and more trouble from the National Ploughing Championships than there was from Electric Picnic,” said Judge Cody.

The judge was considering an application for an occasional bar licence at this year’s Ploughing from Korowa Limited/ Kilbride Street Accommodation Services Ltd, whose director Emmet Lynch was in court to give evidence.

Robert Scanlon, solicitor for the applicant, handed in a map of the area of the site to be licensed, pointing out that its exact location was coloured.

Judge Cody looked at the map and observed: “It’s an area called Benny Byrne’s Bar.”

Mr Scanlon said that is the area where alcohol will be sold and consumed in a semi-permanent structure. He also handed in a copy of the insurance.

Asked by the judge if anybody “from the organisers” was present in court, Mr Scanlon said contact had been made with them but they weren’t able to get anyone to come.

“Nobody from the National Ploughing Championships could bother coming to court,” responded Judge Cody.

He said the Ploughing is a “big event” and added: “I do have to hear that this is a special event and that it’s well organised.”

Mr Lynch told the court that he had operated a bar at the National Ploughing Championships on nine or 10 previous occasions at various locations including Athy, Kilkenny and Tullamore.

In relation to staff, he said he had a number of people who had worked with him over the years and they tend to come back every year when asked.

He said beer and spirits will be sold and all staff will be trained. There will be eight bouncers to check identification.

Mr Lynch said the training is through the RSA (Responsible Serving of Alcohol) training programme.

Judge Cody asked: “Is that the same programme they used last year and the year before in Ratheniska?”

Mr Lynch said different operators are used every year and he had not been involved in Ratheniska nor had he been involved in the last number of years.

Judge Cody said there were assaults where people were caused serious harm “arising out of the Ploughing in the last year or two”.

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“There were assaults where people were nearly killed,” he said. “Serious incidents involving people being very drunk, young fellows.”

Mr Scanlon told him the licence application before the court was not for a late licence. Mr Lynch said it will be from 10.30am to 6pm and Celtic Security will be on site.

Judge Cody said he would grant the licence “on this occasion” but said he was not impressed that the National Ploughing Championships “couldn’t be bothered” to come to court and said they wanted everything to suit themselves.

“They want a bar set up for three days but they’re just too busy to bother complying with the proofs that are normally required in this court.”

He warned that this will be the last year he would grant applications “when the proofs are not properly put before the court”.

He listed the conditions which must be complied with at the Ploughing bar, including one that “no person is to be knowingly drunk or disorderly”.

He told Mr Scanlon that if there is the “sort of trouble” he had seen appearing in Portlaoise District Court, the Ploughing Championships won’t be getting another licence from him.

He concluded: “People assaulted and almost killed, young men out of their head on drink.”

After four successive years in Ratheniska, the National Ploughing Championships will take place this year in Screggan, Tullamore from September 16-18.

The Ploughing was also staged in Screggan in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

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