Golfgate trial begins – with a number of witnesses absent ‘due to Covid’

The fall-out from the so-called Golfgate saga got up and running at Galway Courthouse this week – but without a number of witnesses from the golf dinner…who were unable to attend court because of concerns over Covid.

The specially convened sitting of Galway District Court got underway yesterday, with the ‘Golfgate’ hearing, which is expected to take up to five days.

Independent TD Noel Grealish and former Fianna Fáil senator Donie Cassidy, along with hoteliers John Sweeney and James Sweeney, are each facing a summons related to organising an Oireachtas Golf Society event at the Station House Hotel in Clifden during pandemic restrictions.

Eoghan Cole BL, prosecuting, explained it was the State’s case that on the day in question an indoor event was organised and that the number of persons present exceeded 50 and that the four defendants before the court who organised the event did not take all reasonable steps to ensure the numbers present did not exceed that permitted number for an indoor gathering at the time.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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