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Irish Times
18-07-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Red Warning - Frank McNally on why Galway fishermen dread foxes
Saint MacDara, whose feast day and associated pilgrimage by Connemara fishermen featured elsewhere in these pages on Thursday, is a rare example of a holy man known only by his surname. This is because his first name was Sionnach, meaning 'fox'. And it has long been a superstition among fishing communities, not just in Ireland but as far away as Brittany, that any mention of foxes on a boat is sure to bring bad luck. Their belief was recorded by the antiquarian R.A.S. Macalister when, making the pilgrimage in July 1895, he pondered why the saint was so known: 'Sinach [as Macallister spelt it] was his proper name; but he is always called after his father, the meaning of that word (a fox) had anything to do with its non-application…we can only infer; anyhow the fact remains that this name was dropped, and the Saint was one of the first to have a surname, for reasons best known to those who applied it.' READ MORE Such was the strength of the superstition that anyone sighting or hearing of foxes while on the way to sea would turn back and abandon the day's fishing. But it wasn't just foxes, Macallister explained. Quoting John O'Donovan, of Ordnance Survey fame, he noted a range of four-legged animals equally dreaded by Galway fishermen: 'They cannot bear to hear the name of a fox, hare, or rabbit pronounced, and should they chance to see either (sic) of those animals living or dead, or hear the name of either expressed before setting out to fish…they would not venture out that day.' This being a big hurling weekend, I'm reminded of an immortal quip from the late Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, covering a game between Tipperary and Galway in the 1990s: 'Pat Fox has it on his hurl and is motoring well here comes Joe Rabbitte hot on his tail...I've seen it all now, a Rabbitte chasing a Fox around Croke Park.' Well, witty as it was, that's another story you couldn't mention on a fishing boat off Galway, apparently. Down in Kerry, meanwhile, the prohibition extends to pigs. According to the blog sight or mention of anything porcine there was traditionally sufficient reason to give up fishing for the day. If a pig had to feature in conversation at sea, it was by euphemism, as 'the fellow with the curly tail'.' In similar vein, the fox was 'the bushy-tailed fellow' or 'the fellow with the pointed ears'. Even the foxy words 'red' or 'rua' were avoided in boats. Hence a Blasket Islander named Pádraig O Guithin, who was known as Pádraig Rua on land but became Peadaí deaghdhathach' ('brilliant-coloured Paddy') at sea. Getting back to Oileán Mhic Dara, the saint himself had an ominous reputation. In his report on this week's pilgrimage, Simon Carswell noted a tradition whereby boats passing the island dip their sails three times. Not to do so is (or at least used to be) an invitation to trouble. Macallister quotes a story from 1672, about 'a certain captain of the garrison of Galway' who, after passing the island without the usual ceremony 'was so tossed with sea and storme that he vowed he would never pass there again without paying his obeysance'. It was too late. Before the captain had a chance to revisit the island, he went down in a shipwreck. A few years after that, in the case of 'one Gill, a fisherman of Galway', vengeance was swifter and more direct. Refusing to strike his sail at the island, he went 'not a mile beyond' when, on an otherwise calm day, the mast was toppled by a sudden gale 'and struck him on the pate dead'. The comic novelist Mervyn Wall wrote about Oileán Mhic Dara for The Irish Times in 1968. He noted then that the superstition concerning four-legged animals extended to deer. This being so, it seemed a sinister coincidence that there was a 'Deer Island' close to MacDara's, something that had proved very bad luck once for a group of British soldiers. Wall heard from locals the story about how a fugitive named O'Donnell was arrested while disguised as a priest near the village of Carna, but bargained with his captors by claiming to have buried gold on Deer Island, for a planned escape to America. So the five soldiers rowed there with him but made the mistake of getting out of the boat first and throwing him a rope. Naturally, he cut the rope and floated away, throwing himself into the hold to avoid their gunshots. Back on the mainland, he then dissuaded locals from rescuing the troops, who by the time they were found had starved to death. It might have been just a story. But there was a place on Deer Island called the 'Mound of the Strangers'. And an old man in Roundstone told Wall that as a boy, circa 1910, he and friends had dug a little into the mound, finding there a well-preserved belt buckle with the initials for 'Highland Light Infantry'.
Irish Times
16-06-2025
- Irish Times
Suspect in ‘violent feud' denied bail over charges linked to drive-by shooting
A man who gardaí allege is 'actively involved' in an ongoing 'violent feud' in Limerick city, was today refused bail on charges connected to a drive-by shooting last month. The gun attack occurred on May 8th when a masked man driving a stolen Audi A4 fired multiple shots at homes at Hyde Road, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick. Gardaí alleged during a bail hearing that John O'Donovan (18), Vally View, Southill, Limerick, was involved in a feud between rival crime families and that he was involved with others in the shooting. The attack wasrecorded on a phone and shared on social media, gardaí told the court. READ MORE Mr O'Donovan is accused of three counts of using or possessing cars, which were stolen from Dublin and used in the shooting, along with one count of arson. Det Garda Darragh Conroy told the court Mr O'Donovan made 'no reply' when cautioned after he was charged with the offences. Objecting to bail, the detective said Mr O'Donovan was arrested as part of the investigation into the shooting, which was linked to 'a violent feud involving the Collins family and the O'Donoghue organised crime group'. He said a 'semi-automatic firearm' was discharged at a number of 'occupied' homes at Hyde Road. Bullet holes were observed in an 'upstairs bedroom window' of one house, and 'shots were fired through the front door' of another. There were no reports of injuries. Det Garda Conroy alleged a black Audi A4 and a white Lexus NX were stolen in Dublin on April 25th and driven to Junction 14 service station in Co Kildare. He alleged Mr O'Donovan and others attended the service station to 'exchange' the stolen vehicles and alleged Mr O'Donovan took possession of the Lexus from a 'Dublin criminal'. The cars were driven 'in convoy' from there to Limerick. Garda Conroy said the Audi's driver – who was not identified in court – fired shots at the houses on Hyde Road, while the other car's occupants videoed the incident. Det Garda Conroy alleged the Lexus travelled in convoy with the Audi to Murroe, Co Limerick, where it was found burned out. Garda Conroy further alleged Mr O'Donovan was captured on CCTV at a filling station purchasing gloves and placing a petrol container in the Lexus before the shooting. He alleged Mr O'Donovan supplied the fuel used to torch the Audi and that his mobile phone was turned off prior to the shooting and turned back on again after it. It was alleged a text message was sent to Mr O'Donovan's phone saying gardaí were on route to the scene of the shooting. Garda Conroy told the court it was his belief that Mr O'Donovan 'will continue to be involved in the feud, commit further offences, and there would be a further risk to property and risk of loss of life if he was granted bail'. Judge Patricia Harney refused bail and remanded Mr O'Donovan in custody to appear before Limerick District Court via video-link for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions on Tuesday, June 17th.
BreakingNews.ie
16-06-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Man charged in connection with drive-by gun attack actively involved in Limerick feud, court hears
A man, who gardaí allege is 'actively involved' in an ongoing 'violent feud' in Limerick City, was refused bail on charges connected to a drive-by shooting last May. The gun attack occurred on May 8th when a masked gunman driving a stolen black Audi A4 fired multiple shots from a semi-automaton handgun at occupied homes at Hyde Road, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick. Advertisement Gardaí alleged during a bail hearing, Monday, that John O'Donovan, (18), Vally View, Southill, Limerick, was involved in a feud between rival crime families and that he was involved with others in the shooting. The drive-by gun attack was video recorded on a mobile phone and shared on social media, gardaí told the court. Mr O'Donovan is accused of three counts of using or possessing cars, which were stolen from Dublin and used in the shooting. He is also charged with one count of arson in respect of the car that gardaí allege was used in the shooting. Advertisement Detective Garda Darragh Conroy, Roxboro Road garda station, Limerick, told the court that Mr O'Donovan made 'no reply' when cautioned after he was charged with the four offences. Objecting to bail, Det Gda Conroy said Mr O'Donovan was arrested as part of the investigation into the shooting, which he said was linked to 'a violent feud involving the Collins family and the O'Donoghue organised crime group'. Detective Gda Conroy said a 'semi-automatic firearm' was discharged at a number of 'occupied' homes at Hyde Road, and that Gardai observed 'bullet holes' in the front windows and front doors of the residential properties. Although the houses were occupied, there were no reports of injuries to persons. Advertisement Detective Garda Conroy alleged that a black Audi A4 and a white Lexus NX 300h were stolen in Dublin on April 25th last and driven to Junction 14 service station, at Monasterevin, Co Kildare. Garda Conroy alleged Mr O'Donovan and others attended the service station where 'an exchange' of the stolen vehicles occurred, and that Mr O'Donovan took possession of the Lexus SUV from a 'Dublin criminal'. The stolen cars were driven 'in convoy' from the service station to Limerick, the Lexus, which gardaí allege was driven by Mr O'Donovan, was parked up at the Kilmurry Lodge Hotel, Limerick until it was used again on the night of the shooting to ferry Mr O'Donovan and others to Murroe Co Limerick where gardaí located the Audi A4 'burnt out'. Garda Conroy said gardaí observed 'bullet holes' in an 'upstairs bedroom window' of one of the houses targeted in the gun attack, and that 'shots were fired through the front door' of another property. Advertisement 'All of the houses were occupied. Eight spent 9mm cartridges were found at the scene,' Det Gda Conroy said. Garda Conroy said the driver of the stolen black Audi - who was not identified in court - 'using a semi-automatic firearm, fired shots at properties from a moving vehicle', and that the occupants of the car 'recorded a video' of the gun attack. Detective Garda Conroy alleged that the Lexus travelled in convoy with the Audi to Murroe, Co Limerick where it was found burned. Garda Conroy further alleged that Mr O'Donovan was captured on CCTV footage at a filling station purchasing gloves and placing a container of petrol into the stolen Lexus before driving the vehicle away prior to he shooting. Advertisement The garda alleged that Mr O'Donovan supplied the fuel used to torch the stolen Audi and that his mobile phone was turned off prior to the shooting and turned back on again minutes after the shooting. A text message was sent to Mr O'Donovan's mobile phone explaining that Gardai were on route to the scene of the shooting, Det Gda Conroy also alleged. A search of the online travel agency ' was conducted on Mr O'Donovan's phone immediately after the text message was received, Garda Conroy alleged. Garda Conroy told the court: 'It is my belief that he (Mr O'Donovan) will continue to be involved in the feud, commit further offences, and there would be a further risk to property and risk of loss of life if he was granted bail'. Garda Conroy said Mr O'Donovan, represented by solicitor Sarah Ryan, had 'maintained his right to silence' throughout interviews with Gardai following his arrest. Judge Patricia Harney said she was satisfied to refuse bail and remanded Mr O'Donovan in custody to appear before Limerick District Court via video-link for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions on Tuesday, June 17th.
