Brian Gill, a 44-year-old farmer from Cahermore, Kinvara, Co Galway, has been found guilty of using threatening, abusive and insulting words against a neighbouring farmer with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, but he was not convicted.
At Gort District Court, Judge Adrian Harris found Gill guilty over two incidents involving Brian Murphy, on May 21, 2025, and on February 2. The judge imposed the Probation Act for one year and told Gill that he must complete an anger management course if the Probation Service recommends one.
Judge Harris said there was context to the offences and clear ill feeling between the two men going back some time. He said Gill should not engage in behaviour amounting to such offences.
The court heard that Gill’s dog went missing on May 19, 2025. Gill told the court that he received a phone call on July 1 saying the dog was 35km away. He said: “That dog did not walk 35 kilometres.”
In evidence about the May 21, 2025 incident at Caherawoneen South, Kinvara, Murphy said Gill accused him of stealing the dog and said “I will get you” when the two met while driving at around 9pm on a narrow road. Murphy said he knew nothing about the dog and did not say a word to Gill.
Gill’s counsel, barrister Martin Durack, said there was an agrarian background to the incident and that there had been disputes in the past about fences and similar matters. In cross-examination, Durack put it to Murphy that there was animosity between the men and that they were not on each other’s Christmas card list. Murphy replied: “Every time I am on the road he causes trouble.”
Gill denied threatening Murphy. He said he only asked where his dog was and that Murphy called him a fool. Gill said he replied: “You are the only fool who sells top soil from his farm.”
Gill also told the court that three different people had told him the dog was seen in the back of Murphy’s yard, but he declined to identify any of them. He said Murphy “had a sarcastic smile on his face as he usually does and that raised my suspicions”. Gill added: “He knew something about the dog — I don’t think he had the dog because the dog wouldn’t have gone to him.” He described the dog as “a one person dog”.
Gill said there was “a sentimental attachment to the dog and there was a bit of history to him”. Under cross-examination by Insp. Daragh Browne, Gill said he was angry because the matter had been going on for the past 10 years with Murphy. He told Judge Harris: “This is the 15th time I have been court over this fella — directly or indirectly.”
Insp. Browne told the court that Gill “is still very frustrated and still believes to this day that someone removed the dog”. Durack said Gill’s language may have been brusque, but there was no threat and no intention to cause a breach of the peace.