A MAN ordered to climb Ireland's holiest mountain as penance for
swearing at a garda was praised by a judge for using the opportunity to
raise €2,900 for charity.
A repentant Joseph McElwee (33), of
Aughavennan, Rathmullan, Co Donegal, appeared before Milford District
Court Judge Seamus Hughes yesterday with photographic evidence that he
had reached the summit of Croagh Patrick in Co Mayo.
He also
presented the court with a cheque for €2,900, raised from sponsorship
and to be divided between hospitals in counties Donegal and Mayo.
McElwee
had pleaded guilty to a number of public order offences which occurred
outside a pub in his native village. They included failure to comply
with the direction of a garda.
In the course of the exchange, a
drunken McElwee, who was with two others, launched a tirade of abuse at a
garda, telling him to go back to Co Mayo.
The Mayo-born judge
directed McElwee to undertake to climb the holy mountain and to do the
four stations of Croagh Patrick at its summit, as a mark of respect for
his fellow Irish people, especially those in the line of duty.
In
court in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, Kieran O'Gorman, solicitor for
McElwee, assured the judge that his client had "climbed the reek".
He
handed in pictures showing McElwee, his wife and 12 friends on top of
the famed mountain with the gable of the church in the background.
The
judge was also assured that McElwee had enjoyed the experience and had
raised €2,900 for charity in the process.
The money is to be equally
divided between the Donegal Hospice and the Adult Mental Health Services
at Mayo General Hospital on the judge's recommendation.
"I commend you for the way you have turned it around and taken the opportunity to raise money.
"Quite clearly there is a therapeutic exercise in climbing the reek and the time spent up there to think.
"You deserved every commendation," he said.
Publicity
McElwee told the judge he had found the publicity that the case had attracted very difficult.
"It has been a very traumatic time for my family, especially my eight-year-old son," he said.
The judge added that he hoped McElwee had learned his lesson.
"When
you come to a pub in the beautiful village of Rathmullan and take your
first breath of sea air from Lough Swilly and you see a garda standing
there, you will realise they are there for your protection," he said.
"That's fair enough," replied McElwee.
SIC: II/IE