Court hears Templemore street melee involving six males was started by row over a horse

A  melee on the main street of Templemore was all caused by a dispute over a horse, Judge Cormac Quinn remarked at Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court.

Judge Quinn was commenting in the case of six men charged over an incident in the town on December 2, 2019 during which implements were used and punches thrown.

Shane McInerney, Oakdale, Templemore; Joseph McInerney, 6 Carden Court, Templemore, and Patrick Foley, Clonmore Village, Templemore, all pleaded guilty to affray on the date in question.

James Peter Donoghue, Railway View, Templemore; Johnny McInerney, Ballyheen, Templemore, and Peter McInerney, Ballyheen, Templemore, all pleaded to threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour on the day. 

Garda Declan Kinsella, Templemore Garda Station, outlined the events which unfolded at approximately 12.30pm that day on Main Street, stating that Shane McInerney was approaching the town from the Roscrea side pushing a buggy when he was met by two of the Donoghues.

Shane McInerney reached into the buggy and pulled out a child’s hurley and an altercation took place.

Patrick Foley appeared on the scene and took sides with Mr McInerney. The row moved up Main Street and James Donoghue pulled up in his car and at the same time Peter McInerney and Joseph McInerney arrived.

The altercation moved further along the street and was videoed by a witness on a mobile phone.

Garda Kinsella estimated the affray moved 150 yards along the street during which time there were a lot of bystanders, including elderly people.

Following an extensive garda investigation all six men were charged after they admitted being present at the time.

James Peter Donoghue told the gardaí he was there as a peacemaker to try and separate his sons while Mr Foley said he got involved because it was “two to one” against Shane McInerney, and the Donoghues were “trained boxers”.

The court heard that Peter McInerney co-operated with the gardaí and apologised to the court and Garda Kinsella for his behaviour.

He also acknowledged his actions had been “frightening for the people of Templemore”.

David Roberts, BL, for Joseph McInerney, said that his client agreed his behaviour had been “unacceptable” and would have “put the people of Templemore in fear”.

The gardaí accepted he had not been the instigator of the incident but had got involved due to “misguided loyalty to a family member”.

Peace had now “broken out” and there was no further negative interaction between the families, said Mr Roberts.

He said that Mr McInerney’s mother had died when he was 13-years-old and she had been a “positive influence” on his life.

David Hand, BL, for Johnny McInerney, said that his client had now moved from the area in order to “get out of the way”.

He said Mr McInerney wished to apologise to James Donohgue and the people of Templemore.

Judge Quinn, who pointed out that the court had heard it had all started over a horse, said the aggravating factors were that it had been a serious affray in which weapons, including sticks and a hurley had been used.

“The people of Templemore would probably be more used to seeing a hurley being used in Semple Stadium and not in the centre of town,” he commented.

In mitigation there had been early pleas and “peace had broken out”.

Judge Quinn remarked that Templemore had one of the widest streets in Ireland and he found it “beyond credulity” that they had all met at the same time.

“The people of Templemore are entitled to go about their business," he said.

Judge Quinn sentenced Patrick Foley, Shane McInerney and Joseph McInerney each to two years in jail, suspended for two years, on their own bond of €200.

He sentenced Johnny McInerney, Peter McInerney and James Peter Donoghue each to three months in jail, suspended for six months on their own bond of €200.