A judge has ordered extra taxis on standby in Sneem on busy nights, after hearing how there were so many people partying in the tourist village on a weekend last autumn, the one taxi driver had been overwhelmed and a publican could not clear his bar as a result.
When gardaí called to Riney’s Bar, in the south square of Sneem on the Ring of Kerry, in the early hours of Sunday October 12th, at about 2am, they found “50 to 60” people in the bar an hour after closing time, Inspector John Brennan outlined at Kenmare District Court.
Licence holder Daniel Riney, who told the court he had been a secondary school teacher in Cork but had taken over the running of the pub from his father, pleaded guilty to the after hours charge.
Conor Murphy, solicitor for Mr Riney in a plea for mitigation told the court “it was a particularly busy night in Sneem”.
“There was a birthday party, a hen party and a golf outing at Parknasilla.”
The hotels were full and there was only one taxi.
“He had difficulty clearing the bar because there was only one taxi on duty that night,” the solicitor continued.
Remarking the taxi was probably going until 5am trying to transport the people, and was proably doing better than the pub Judge James O’Connor said he would give Mr Riney, who had no previous convictions, the benefit of the probation Act on a voluntary contribution to the court poor box and he accepted the offer of €800.
However the judge also ordered: “The next time there are three parties in Sneem, make sure taxis are brought in from Kenmare in the east and Cahersiveen on the other side.”
The charge will be struck out when Mr Riney who has been given time to pay, makes the contribution.