Singer Dolores Keane has been banned from driving for four years and fined €300 for drink-driving in Co Donegal.
The 58-year-old, who had previously been banned twice for drink-driving, had admitted being nearly twice over the alcohol limit when stopped in Glenties on March 26th, 2011.
As he sentenced her Glenties District Court, Judge Paul Kelly paid tribute to Keane for her song A Woman's Heart and wished her the best of luck in her continuing career.
“Thank you very much," she responded.
The four-year ban will run concurrently with the three-year disqualification.
The court was told it was her second drunk-driving incident within a few months because she was already banned for three years for an offence near her home outside Tuam in November 2010.
Judge Kelly was also told that Keane, who spent three months this year at an alcoholic counselling and treatment centre, was first banned from driving for two years in June 2000.
Gda Insp Dennis Joyce said Keane was arrested last March outside the courthouse in Glenties when gardaí received a report of a car being driven in an erratic manner on the wrong side of the road.
He said Keane was co-operative with the gardaí.
Defence solicitor Eric Gleeson said Keane had two children, one of whom, her son Joseph, was blind. "She drank all her life which affected her health and well-being and more recently began to drink heavily," he said.
Earlier this year she went on a 12-week intoxication course in Cluan Mhuire centre and at one stage was removed for treatment for illness to hospital in Limerick. She was now off alcohol and medication and "a lot more healthy" than when he first took instructions from her last year, Mr Gleeson said. She was getting her career back on track and there was an upcoming tour.
Judge Kelly told Keane that it was obvious her being in court was "sufficient" punishment.
She replied: "Yes."
The judge said: "I am sure you would rather be remembered for A Woman's Heart and your other fine productions."
The judge said he would only impose a fine instead of a prison or suspended prison sentence. He also banned her for four years. "You are seriously in peril if you find yourself in this situation again," he warned her.
Keane, of Caherlistrane, Tuam, Co Galway, replied “thank you” as she left the court with a sister and her manager.