Funeral director verbally abused by man who had loose horses in Laois cemetery 

A funeral director was verbally abused when he confronted the owners of horses which were running around in a Laois graveyard, a sitting of Portlaoise District Court was told. 

Patrick Tuohy (22) of Dysertbeagh, Mountrath, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Dysertbeagh, Mountrath on September 27 last. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the incident occurred at about 10.50am on the date in question when the local funeral director was contacted about loose horses at St Fintan’s Cemetery in Dysertbeagh. 

Sgt Kirby said the funeral director told the defendant that the graveyard was a holy place and horses weren’t allowed in there. He explained that the defendant “took umbrage to this and he took his jacket off” and was “roaring and shouting at him”.  He said there were other people in the graveyard paying their respects. 

“These matters could have been significantly more serious,” said Judge Susan Fay. 

Sgt Kirby said “the injured party does not want to make a victim impact statement.”

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick agreed that “the horses shouldn’t have been in the graveyard” and the funeral director was “rightly concerned”. She also said her client “did not react very well at all” when approached. She described his behaviour as totally inappropriate. 

Judge Fay said the incident would have been very distressing for the people at the graveyard. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said her client bore “no ill will” against the funeral director and explained that the horses had belonged to a deceased relative. 

She said he had brought €200 to court as a token of his remorse and he wanted to apologise to the funeral director and the church.  “It is just not on what happened on the day,” she said. 

Judge Susan Fay requested a community service assessment.  She described it as “a quite serious incident” and said she wanted €500 for the parish priest. 

“There are great people out there strimming verges, mowing lawns in these cemeteries,” she said. 

Judge Fay adjourned the case back to Portlaoise District Court on March 9 for €500 compensation and a community service assessment.