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Leah Farrell

Pensioner says he didn't allow gardaí onto his property as he thought they were 'thugs in hoodies'

The man claimed garda ID was shown but it was at a distance.

A PENSIONER FARMER prevented three armed plain-clothes members of a Garda drugs unit from gaining access to his home because he thought they were “thugs in hoodies”.

At Ennis District Court, 67-year old, Martin Danaher said that the gardai “looked like three thugs” and that they were looking for his son at Snipe Lodge, Knockagulla, Lisdoonvarna in August 2014.

Danaher said that two of the men were wearing hoodies with the third wearing a t-shirt when they called to his door.

Danaher said that he did not believe that the men – who arrived at the home in an unmarked black Ford Mondeo - were gardaí.

He said that Garda ID was shown “but this was at a distance”.

The actions of Danaher in refusing entry to carry out a search of the home formed part of the basis of gardaí refusing to renew the man’s gun licence this year.

However, Danaher is to get his gun back after Judge Patrick Duran upheld his appeal against the decision to revoke his shot-gun licence.

Judge Durcan said that he was sufficiently impressed about the doubts that Danaher might have had in his mind concerning the incident when the gardaí called to his home.

He said: “I know as someone who lives in the countryside myself, there is a need for people in the countryside to have a firearm, particularly for farmers, there is a need to have vermin controlled.”

Danaher said that he used the gun to control vermin and shoot wild dogs who attack sheep.

In evidence, Det Garda Trevor Shannon said that Danaher “told us we would not be entering his house” on 22 August 2014.

Det Shannon said that Danaher said that by “no ways or means would we be entering his residence”.

Det Shannon told the court that Danaher said that if gardaí wished to enter the house “you will have to put me down”.

He said: “It was said in a threatening manner and due to lack of assistance and location and the force I believe that would have been required, I made a decision not to execute the warrant and we returned to the garda station.

He said: “It was a very tense situation and at any time could have blown up. It was very volatile.”

Det Shannon said that he was there to execute a search warrant concerning a third party living at the house.

Danaher voluntarily handed over his gun to gardaí in January 2015.

This followed a separate incident at Danaher’s home that was investigated by Gardai but where the DPP recommended no prosecution.

Supt John Galvin said that the incident involved Danaher being trapped in a container which caught fire. He said that there was no allegation that Danaher used the gun or threatened to use it on any occasion. Supt Galvin said that he made the decision to revoke the licence as a result of public safety concerns.

Read: Man accused of assault on Tinder date says woman became ‘hysterical’ when he tried to kiss her >

Read: Photos: Seven puppies rescued after being smuggled from Ireland into Wales >

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    Mute Paul Glennon
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    Nov 21st 2013, 9:21 PM

    Is this really news? My suspicions are that the owner has a friend or two in the journal….

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    Mute Charles O'Dowd
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    Nov 21st 2013, 9:25 PM

    My thoughts exactly, or a journalist fancies a free meal.

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    Mute Bigbadboy
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    Nov 21st 2013, 9:27 PM

    Not sure Paul. Michelle also wrote about the fire in the church. Unlikely she personally knows God as well. But then stranger things have hapoened..

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    Mute Paul Glennon
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    Nov 21st 2013, 9:43 PM

    You’ve missed the point.. Is she going to run a story about the church reopening? ……don’t think so.

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    Mute Dafuq
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    Nov 22nd 2013, 12:00 AM

    @paul glennon I was just about to say the same thing !

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    Mute Anthony Conlon
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    Nov 21st 2013, 8:38 PM

    good on them, may have to head in for a selection of hot dumplings.. mmm

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    Mute Stephen Duggan
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    Nov 21st 2013, 9:37 PM

    Popular ? Been a Dub all my life and have never even heard of it ?

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    Mute Joe Valentine
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    Nov 21st 2013, 9:53 PM

    I’ve been to all of them. Not worth a second visit to be honest.

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Nov 21st 2013, 11:45 PM

    Stick to your coddle and boxy then

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    Mute Tara Gale
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    Nov 21st 2013, 9:30 PM

    Delighted to read that

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    Mute Declan Carr
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    Nov 21st 2013, 10:19 PM

    Smoked bacon is the chef’s special

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    Mute Kenneth
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    Nov 22nd 2013, 12:12 AM

    Went there once and the person sitting at the table next to me was wearing a soccer t shirt. If they let undesirables like that in it will never be classy.

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    Mute Larry L'Oiseau
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    Nov 22nd 2013, 2:15 AM

    Where is this ‘well-known’ restaurant ?

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    Mute Sinabhfuil
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    Nov 22nd 2013, 6:27 AM

    In the old Bewley’s in George’s Street, yes?

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    Mute Raymond Lambert
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    Nov 25th 2013, 3:16 PM

    Great to see you back! The other side of Georges Street just wasn’t the same! Yum Yum

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