Court hears farmer told hillwalker he would “throw him down the cliff”

A Glencolmcille farmer,who pleaded guilty to a charge of using threatening and abusive behaviour towards a hill walker, has been fined €250, at Glenties District Court. 

Cathal Haughey, 55, of Ballard, Glencolmcille admitted the offence that happened at Faugher Mountain,Glencolmcille on April 18, 2022. 

A related charge of compelling Brendan Delap to abstain from doing an act which had a lawful right to do, wrongly and without lawful authority intimidated Brendan Delap by uttering threats and vulgar language was struck out before Judge Eiteáin Cunningham. 

Inspector Tony Byrne told the court that Brendan Delap was leading a group of walkers. 

He was approached by the defendant who told him that he would “throw him down the cliff.” 

The defendant told the injured party that they should either go back or go over the edge of the cliff. 

The defendant then referred to a friend of the injured party who was “six feet under” and the injured party could go the same way. 

The injured party was frightened and went back the way he came. 

The defendant had no previous convictions. 

Defence Solicitor Francis Gillespie said his client was a married man in his 50s and farmed on commonage on a rugged coastline that had been grazed for centuries. 

An issue had arisen with hill walkers. 

An agreement had been reached that the walkers would stick to an agreed route but the walkers, who occasionally had dogs, had veered from the agreed route causing difficulties. 

It was an issue, and the local Parish Council was trying to resolve the matter. 

The injured party had no dogs with him but there were other instances of walkers with dogs who were off the leash and had forced sheep over the cliff. 

Mr Haughey had sheep which had been forced over the cliff by dogs. 

The defendant had acted inappropriately but had acted out of frustration as some walkers were not keeping the agreement. 

He was holding his hand up and was otherwise of good character and was always working.

The solicitor appealed for leniency for the defendant. 

Judge Cunningham these were very serious matters and very frightening for the hill walkers. 

“The defendant let his emotions get the better of him,” she said.

Judge Cunningham fined the defendant €250.