Latest news with #Kavanagh
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Councillors slam ‘shady deal' claims and ‘libellous' posts as Westport land sale is approved
The sale of the green area had become a controversial topic, and a social media campaign was launched by the Westport Family and Community Resource Centre to oppose the sale, the meeting was told.. The controversies continued when, in the meeting, local councillors claimed that some of the campaigners were spreading misinformation about the sale and making libellous statements online. The land, located off Church Lane in Westport, was agreed for sale in June by the Westport and Belmullet Municipal District. The sale will allow the Wyatt Hotel to add 50 rooms and an underground carpark with 106 spaces. An additional €280,000 will be allocated to Mayo County Council, with this contribution specifically ring-fenced for the development and improvement of a playground in the area. Cllr Peter Flynn proposed the sale in the meeting. He addressed the online scrutiny and insisted that there was nothing suspicious about the sale. 'We've heard comments about corruption, about shady deals with business people, and undercover deals. I want to address this here and now because it's really way off the mark. Everything that has been done to date in relation to this particular sale has gone through the exact same process as any other section 183. The Kavanagh family owns the Wyatt Hotel and other businesses in the Westport area. Cllr Flynn stated that there had been a two-year period of negotiation between the family and the council. 'They have developed an absolutely brilliant supermarket in our town centre. Similarly with the Wyatt Hotel, they have expanded it into one of the finest hotels in the region. They are bringing people back into the town centre, encouraging the whole vibrancy in the town centre, and ensuring that other businesses are benefiting from people coming into the town year round,' Cllr Brendan Mulroy seconded the proposal for the sale of the land. He claimed that a lot of the content that had been put on social media was 'libellous' and said 'a lot of people need to reflect on what they're putting out there.' 'Through this campaign and particularly over the last couple of days, I have been accused of having no interest in the youth of Westport and not representing them. I take offense to that, I was a child of Westport, and I grew up in Westport town. Some of the commentary on the Facebook pages has been nothing short of shocking, there's doubt being cast on this deal, there's doubt being cast on the elected representatives.' He continued: 'If we can get a hotel with 50 bedrooms and 100+ parking spaces and €280,0000 to go back into the community, that's what you call looking after your community. We will sit down and we will talk to any group, but what we will not do is be intimidated, shouted at, roared at, or have assertions cast upon people.' In the meeting, a counter proposal was made by Cllr John O'Malley. While he didn't disapprove of the sale, he proposed a delay in the decision on the grounds that there was not enough information given to the public. He said: 'I propose that we have to meet with the people and have a consultation with them, as far as I'm concerned, they're not happy. We need to sit down and have a consultation with them so they know exactly what's happening.' The counter proposal was supported by Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, who said: 'Defer this today, let the local community hold these people elected, sit down and discuss it. At the next council meeting, put it back on the agenda.' Cllr Mulroy and Cllr Flynn both disputed the argument to defer the vote by eight weeks, arguing that it would only give more time to damage the reputation of the sale, the families involved, and the council as well. Cllr Flynn pointed out that the sale will still require planning permission and urged anyone with objections to make them known during this stage. Before the council chamber voted on the proposal, the Chief Executive of Mayo County Council, Kevin Kelly, assured the people that the proper statutory process for a section 183 had been followed and that the information would not usually be made public until a statutory notice is issued. He continued: 'I think it's very important that it's stated that there is nothing untoward in respect of this proposal or this transaction. In a scenario where you are getting full market value, a significant community gain in terms of additional financial resources, parking, and hotel bedroom spaces. To me, it's an absolute no-brainer in terms of a proposal, 'If we could make every proposal going before you as attractive as that, we would have a very easy life,' he joked. The counter proposal to defer the sale of the land until September with the promise of giving more information to the local community during this time, was defeated 18 votes to seven with one. The vote to allow the proposal and dispose of the land was accepted 22 votes to two with three abstentions. This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
RTÉ News
15-07-2025
- RTÉ News
Man who tried to ram garda car jailed for over five years
A man who attempted to ram a garda car following a high-speed chase in Dublin has been jailed for five years and three months. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard 48-year-old Mark Kavanagh also burgled a house while an 85-year-old man who was living alone was present. Kavanagh, of Mountainview Drive, Rathfarnham, also pleaded guilty to endangerment, criminal damage, dangerous driving, having no insurance and to failing to provide a blood or urine sample following the chase on 28 April 2024. He further pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and handling stolen property on two separate dates in 2024. Kavanagh has 168 previous convictions for offences including burglary, trespass, firearms and drugs offences. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a global sentence of six years and nine months with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. Garda Joseph Whitty told the court he was on mobile patrol on 28 April 2024 on the Dundrum Road when a Ford Mondeo was noticed driving erratically and crossing the median, nearly hitting the kerb. As it was travelling towards the Wyckham Way roundabout, the car swerved across hatched markings and overtook a taxi at speeds in excess of 100km/ph, the court was told. It was later established that the car obtained a speed of 120km/h. The car was out of control and was fishtailing with black smoke observed coming from it as it travelled past the Central Bank National Mint in Sandyford. It passed the traffic lights at the junction of the Sandyford village and at Lamb's Cross, it turned onto Blackglen Road. It slammed on the brakes and reversed back towards the patrol car but did not make contact with it. The car took off again and gardaí lost sight of it due to speed bumps on the road. The car's lights were turned off and an attempt was made to ram the patrol car but it did not make contact. The vehicle continued at speed until it hit a kerb at Whitechurch Road and the wheel broke off causing it to come to a stop. When apprehended, Kavanagh had a Stanley knife which he kicked away but there was no suggestion he was brandishing it towards gardaí who then arrested him. The court was told Kavanagh is disqualified from driving until 2030 and was driving with no insurance and the car was taken without the owner's permission in Dublin 14. He was arrested and interviewed on one occasion but it was effectively "a no comment interview", the court heard. Under cross-examination, Gda Whitty agreed with Ian Woodland BL, defending, the incident happened in the early hours of the morning when not much traffic was on the road. Gda Whitty also agreed Kavanagh injured his leg saying: "I think he fractured his ankle." He further agreed his insurance covered €5,000 in damage. In another bill, Garda Joseph Dolan told the court that Kavanagh also burgled the home of an 85-year-old man who was living alone at 3.30am on 10 June 2024. He told Marc Murphy BL, prosecuting, that on 10 June 2024 Kavanagh "fished" keys out through the letterbox of a home in the Rathfarnham area. The 85-year-old victim was woken by the noise in the downstairs of his home. His living room had been disturbed and the alcohol cabinet had been moved but not taken. The only item stolen in that incident was a key of a car which remained in the driveway. Kavanagh took a car outside a different address in Chuchtown and when he was taken in for questioning a car key and four payment cards were found in his possession. Kavanagh was taken to Rathfarnham Garda Station but at first was unfit for questioning. He was later interviewed twice but nothing of evidential value arose, the court was told. Gda Dolan agreed with Mr Woodland under cross-examination that the elderly man initially felt like he heard a noise at 3.30am in the morning but there was no encounter between him and Kavanagh. Garda Dolan also agreed Kavanagh had a severe drug addiction. Garda Michael Fox told the court Kavanagh also pleaded guilty to a burglary at an address in Dublin 16 on 7 December 2024. The owner, who was at work, could see two males at the door on his ring doorbell and alerted gardaí who arrived shortly afterwards and observed two males coming down stairs wearing gloves and beanie hats. Kavanagh was arrested there and then for burglary and made no reply when charged. Two bedrooms were ransacked but no property was taken however, there was damage to the window to the front door which had been broken. Under cross-examination, Gda Fox told Mr Woodland that Kavanagh "dropped the property and put his hands up". In mitigation, Mr Woodland told the court Kavanagh started using heroin at an early age and his mental health suffered. He is on an anti-psychotic medication and is also on methadone. He is finding prison difficult and is sharing a cell with three others, counsel said. Offending described as 'very serious' Judge Crowe described the offending as "very serious". Referring to the incident where Kavanagh attempted to reverse into a garda car twice, the judge noted that "our guards go out and go out at night to keep people safe". She said it was aggravating that the victim of one burglary was an 85-year-old, and noted the vulnerability of the elderly and very young, describing them as categories in society which require "special care". She said Kavanagh's previous convictions and the fact he was on bail for some of his offending were among the aggravating factors and a consecutive element was necessary. Having imposed a global sentence of six years and nine months, the judge said the court noted Kavanagh had indicated a wish to turn his life around and would give him an opportunity to do so. She suspended the final 18 months of the global sentence on strict conditions and placed him under the supervision of the Probation Services for 12 months post-release. The judge also backdated the sentence to when Kavanagh went into custody last December and directed that he should be given credit for any time served in custody.
Irish Independent
12-07-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
200-year-old masonic banner stolen from Borris House may have been mistaken as a Star of David, says owner
Today at 05:00 The owners of Borris House in Co Carlow have issued an appeal for the return of a 200-year-old masonic banner that they believe may have been mistaken as an Israeli symbol. Borris House, which is situated in the Barrow Valley in Co Carlow, was constructed in 1731 and is owned by the Kavanagh family. It is the ancestral home of the McMorrough Kavanaghs and holds an important place in Irish history as they are one of the few ancient Irish families to have remained in possession of their lands in the same place through centuries of upheaval and disturbance.
Irish Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
'Your apology means nothing to me' - young woman tells female attacker in court
A young woman has told a court that she has been left with 'crippling anxiety' after she was punched and kicked by a group in a Dublin park. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Hollie Kavanagh (22) of Landen Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at The Lawn Park, Ballyfermot, Dublin, on April 27, 2022. She has no previous convictions Garda Chloe Butler told Emmet Nolan BL, prosecuting, that on the evening in question, the injured party, a then 18-year-old girl, was walking in the park with a young man. At approximately 9.15pm, the woman was approached by a group of four females, one of whom was Kavanagh. The court heard Kavanagh began to shout at the injured party and then pulled her by the hair. The group of girls then took turn kicking the injured party in the groin, legs and abdomen. The man who had been walking with the young woman stood and protected the injured party's head. The injured girl had images of her injuries photographed days later, and these were given to the court. Gda Butler said an investigation took place and Kavanagh attended for a voluntary interview with her mother. She made some admissions but minimised her role in the incident. A medical report was handed to the court which outlined swelling to the injured party's pubic area, bruising to her right thigh, bruising to her left jaw with difficulty chewing. The injured party was also left with a bald patch on her head. Due to the severity of the bruising to the pubic area, an urgent pelvic x-ray was requested to rule out any fracture. A victim impact statement was read to the court which said: 'After this I felt isolated and did not trust people like I used to'. The injured party described how she suffered from 'crippling anxiety' after the incident. She said, 'I don't feel at ease in a public place, I feel like I always have to look over my shoulder.'. She concluded by saying, 'Her [Kavanagh] fake apology means nothing to me.' The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week Gda Butler agreed with Cathal McGreal BL, defending, that his client did seek to apologise when she went to the injured party's home along with her mother. He also agreed that Kavanagh had brought €1,850 to court as a token of remorse, but that the injured party did not wish to receive it. The garda agreed with counsel that during her interview with the gardai, Kavanagh made admissions and no longer lives in the area near the injured party. Mr McGreal said Kavanagh's parents were present in court and they have no connection to crime. He said that when Kavanagh's mother found out what trouble her daughter had been involved in, she marched her down to the injured party's house to apologise. Counsel stated that his client had prepared a letter of apology, which he handed to the court. He also stated that € 1,850 was present in court and could be offered to charity. He said Kavanagh is 'appalled by her behaviour as is her family'. He said she is anxious for the court to know how sorry she is for what she has done. He asked the court to give her the opportunity to speak to a professional to assess her likelihood of reoffending, and he requested a probation report. Judge Elma Sheahan said that, in light of Kavanagh's lack of previous convictions, her good work history, and the fact that this was her first offence, she would agree to order a probation report. She also instructed that the €1,850 be handed over to the National Rehabilitation Centre within the next two weeks. Judge Sheahan adjourned the sentence for finalisation until November 3 next.
Irish Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Quantity surveyor pleads guilty to assaulting young woman almost 10 years ago
A Co Donegal man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a young woman causing her harm in Letterkenny. Quantity surveyor Seamus Cooley appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court where he pleaded guilty to assaulting Shanan Reid McDaid and causing her harm on October 15, 2017 at Castle Street in Letterkenny. The 50-year-old, who is originally from Buncrana, had been in custody in Castlerea Prison since June 20 for breaching his previous bail conditions. Ms Reid McDaid was not present as the court was told that she is currently living in Australia. At the time of the assault Ms Reid McDaid was 18 years old and a third level student. The accused man, wearing a striped shirt and jeans, spoke only to plead guilty to the charge when it was read to him by the court registrar. Cooley was remanded in custody to Castlerea Prison since June 20th after being found to have breached conditions of his bail when he appeared at Cavan District Court. A fresh application was made at Letterkenny Circuit Court for bail but was refused by Judge Roderick Maguire. His barrister, Mr Feargal Kavanagh, SC, told the court that his client's sister, Ms Sinead Moore, would provide a €1,000 surety and said Cooley was willing to tender €10,000 compensation to the victim. Mr Kavanagh, with Mr Pat Sullivan, BL, said Cooley has spent 21 days in a 'grossly overcrowded' prison and is finally facing up to the charge referring to cramped conditions in the prison of up to three prisoners in one cell. Mr Kavanagh asked that legal aid be extended to cover a psychiatric assessment and report on Cooley. He said that Cooley is not a flight risk and needs 'immediate intervention:' Ms Fiona Crawford BL, barrister for the State, said that Cooley has already taken a bench warrant in this and that there have been two applications previously for the revocation of bail. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week In remanding Cooley in custody at Cavan Circuit Court, Judge John Aylmer said that the accused had 'displayed arrogance' and showed a 'flagrant disregard' for bail conditions previously set by the court. Under the terms of his bail, Cooley was due to sign-on three times a week at Buncrana Garda Station, but he had only an 82% adherence. Cooley told the Gardai that he was happy with the amount of times he was signing on and that he was happy to sign on when it suited him. He told Gardai that he started working throughout the country and it 'didn't suit him some days' to sign on. Before Judge Maguire, Mr Kavanagh said Cooley now requires professional intervention and that he has had difficulty facing up to the issues. Mr Kavanagh told the court that there have been a number of legal teams involved in managing his case. 'He seems to be finally in a position where he is facing up to this issue,' Mr Kavanagh said, 'Putting him into a prison cell with three others and hoping to advance matters is not going to serve justice. He is five years facing trial and the stresses of that alone are not doing him any favours.' Ms Crawford pointed out that, having pleaded guilty, Cooley no longer enjoys the presumption of innocence. Mr Kavanagh said his client has turned up on each and every occasion to court and said he was concerned that Cooley's mental health could deteriorate. Judge Maguire noted that an affidavit of Garda Neil Kemmy shared three breaches: he was not inhabiting an address given to Gardai; he was not signing on as required; and he interacted with the complainant. Ms Moore told Judge Maguire that her brother previously attended a psychotherapist and believed that he would again benefit from mental health intervention. She said she would 'do my absolute best' to be on her brother's case on a daily basis to ensure that he abided by the terms of his bail. Ms Moore told the court that she had not had much interaction with her brother recently, but added: 'I will be involved now. I really will.' Mr Kavanagh said he was anxious that the State did not victimise Cooley by incarcerating him. 'He knows what he is facing,' Mr Kavanagh said. 'It will make things far more difficult to do justice if he is incarcerated.' He said that Cooley's guilty plea has avoided a four-five day trial and asked Judge Murphy to impose conditions, accept the surety and allow Cooley to engage with services. Judge Maguire extended legal aid to cover a psychiatrist consultation and report, but given the history in the matter - noting that Cooley was given a chance to adhere to conditions, but then breached them - he said he would not grant bail. Cooley was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in October.
