A Longford farmer and part-time musician has appeared in court on charges of burning his house to the ground on Wednesday night.
Mr Gerry Davis (62) is also accused of assaulting his wife, Ann, and Garda Donal Madden.
Garda Madden said Mr and Mrs Davis had marital difficulties.
After a funeral in Drumlish on Wednesday, Mr Davis went to the pub and started drinking.
Later he called his wife to pick him up, but she was already in bed.
Garda Madden alleged that Mr Davis got a taxi home and went into the house, where he kicked his wife and shoved her to the floor. He told her he would burn down the house.
Mrs Davis escaped on the pretext that she was going outside to pay the taxi and called gardaí. When they got to the house 10 minutes later, a fire had been started in the living room with what appeared to be a large bundle of papers.
Garda Madden said Mr Davis was in another room and became abusive. Gardaí were unable to quell the fire, and it engulfed the house.
Mr Davis's solicitor said her client was "in shock" and suffering from the effects of alcohol. He was not in a fit condition to "give full instructions".
She asked Judge John Neilan to grant bail to Mr Davis on the basis that he would reside at the home of his son, Gary, in Drumlish until next Tuesday's scheduled court hearing in Longford.
However, Garda Madden said Mr Gary Davis had been very strong in his condemnation of what had happened and had no interest in having anything to do with his father.
Garda Madden said also that Mrs Davis was afraid for her life. She had made a previous complaint to gardaí in Drumlish about Mr Davis.
Judge Neilan remanded him in custody.