'It was his land, but my hedge' - heated dispute between Limerick neighbours ends in assault

A HEATED dispute between neighbours over the cutting of a hedge has resulted in a conviction for a man who was charged with assault causing harm.

Michael Ryan, aged 63, with an address in Ballingrane, Askeaton, appeared before Newcastle West District Court.

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The victim, who told the court he had been punched by Mr Ryan, took the stand first.

His evidence was that he had been cutting hedges when Mr Ryan entered his land, became confrontational and punched him.

The victim told the court that on November 16, 2024, in the afternoon, at around 2.15pm, he was on his own land cutting a hedge.

He said that he could see Mr Ryan and that he “wasn’t too happy about this, but I continued on”.

The victim told the court that when Mr Ryan entered his land, he asked Mr Ryan to leave and that Mr Ryan did not acknowledge the request.

The victim told the court: “I stood in front of him and I said ‘I’m not going to touch you’. He struck a blow across my left cheek and knocked my glasses off.” The victim said he rang gardaí and that he was in shock.

He told the court that Mr Ryan “struck a blow full force” into his face.

Representing Mr Ryan, solicitor Michael O’Donnell handed pictures of the hedge, which was cut, into the court.

Mr O’Donnell argued that Mr Ryan had been cutting that hedge, which he planted, for more than 20 years.

“This issue is not the hedge, it’s that he hit me across the face,” the victim replied.

He added: “It was as easy to cut the hedge as to drive past it.”

The victim stressed: “I did not cut the hedge in any malicious fashion. I didn’t encroach any of his property.”

He told the court: “He was still trespassing and he should not have hit me.”

The victim told the court that he wasn’t angry, but he repeatedly asked Mr Ryan to leave his property.

“I’ve far better things to do than cause arguments with my neighbour over a hedge,” he said.

Mr O’Donnell put it to the victim that he told Mr Ryan to “get the f**k off my land”, but the victim maintained that he stayed calm and did not use any profanities.

Garda Moroney, who investigated the case, told the court that when questioned, Mr Ryan denied punching his neighbour and told gardaí that he went out that day to see what his neighbour was doing.

Taking the stand, Mr Ryan told the court that he could hear a rattle and see the tractor and hedge cutter and that he beckoned his neighbour to get away from the hedge.

Mr Ryan told the court that he planted the hedge back in 1996 and had an agreement with the victim’s father that he would cut it.

Mr Ryan told the court that the hedge now likely won’t survive and he may have to replace it.

“I never laid a hand on that man,” he told the court, adding “I always do that hedge twice a year.”

Inspector Barry Manton, prosecuting for the State, put it to Mr Ryan that he shouldn’t have been on his neighbour’s land.

“It’s his land, but my hedge. It is a total lie - I didn’t touch him or lay a hand on him,” Mr Ryan said.

When it was put to Mr Ryan that he was trespassing, he replied: “I wasn’t in my eyes.”

Inspector Manton pointed out that the cutting of the hedge is not the matter before the court.

When asked by Judge Carol Anne Coolican why his neighbour rang the gardaí, Mr Ryan said: “I honestly don’t know.”

Solicitor Michael O’Donnell told the court that there are clearly two sides to the story, but that his client Mr Ryan does not believe he was trespassing and that the issue could have been dealt with better by both parties.

The court heard that Mr Ryan has two previous convictions. One related to an assault charge in November 2025 and another related to the movement of persons during the Covid pandemic in October 2022.

The judge found in favour of the victim's evidence.

Mr Ryan's case was that he had not assaulted the victim, his neighbour. In mitigation, his solicitor told the court that the assault “didn't necessitate any doctor” or medical treatment.

Mr Ryan was convicted and fined €400, and was given 12 months to pay.

He was released on his own bond of €100.