Drunk man was 'fixated' on why he was refused entry to Letterkenny nightspot

A west Donegal man who was making ‘a nuisance’ of himself became ‘fixated’ on how he was not permitted entry to a Letterkenny nightclub.

Caoilte Doohan (20) of Beltany, Gortahork, was charged in connection with the incident on February 27, 2022.

Sergeant Gerard Dalton told Letterkenny District Court that Gardaí were on patrol when they received a call from a staff member at Voodoo informing them that a man was causing a nuisance.

“They spoke to the man, who was clearly intoxicated and he was clearly unwilling to co-operate,” Sergeant Dalton said.

“He was told that it would be best for him to move on, but he was unwilling to do so. He was asked to leave the area and was given numerous opportunities to do so.”

Doohan, who has no previous convictions, was subsequently arrested and charged.

Solicitor for Doohan, Mr Frank Dorrian, said his client had been out in Dunfanaghy earlier that evening. They had drinks in someone’s house before making their way to the nightclub.

Doohan, Mr Dorrian said, was ‘less than capable of managing the alcohol’.

“He became fixated on the fact that he wasn’t allowed in,” Mr Dorrian told the court. “Because of his condition, he couldn’t understand why he was singled out. It was the intransigence of a drunken man and he persisted.”

Mr Dorrian said Doohan contacted Gardaí the following morning.

“He was unclear as to what was said, but presumed it had been uncomplimentary,” Mr Dorrian said.

“He lost his way. He had too much drink and wasn’t able to handle it. He has no pattern of association like this and he is not a candidate for repeat visits to court.”

Judge Brendan O’Reilly asked that Doohan made a €200 donation to the Letterkenny branch of St Vincent De Paul.

Doohan was accompanied to court by his mother.

Judge O’Reilly said: “His mother is to be credited for coming to court and taking parental responsibility.”