Laois funeral director verbally abused in local cemetery
Dysart Cemetery
WHEN a funeral director came across two men who had horses in a cemetery, one abused, roared and shouted at him.
The incident was relayed at Portlaoise District Court when Patrick Tuohy from Dysart Beg, Mountrath was before the court and pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at the graveyard in Dysart Beg on 27 September.
Garda sgt JJ Kirby said that the funeral director in Mountrath, Seamus Burke, from Burke Funeral Directors, received a report of horses in the nearby graveyard.
He said: “When he went to investigate, he came on two men, one being the accused. One of the horses was tied to a gravestone. When he went to speak with the men and to tell them to get the horses out of the holy place, Mr Tuohy took umbridge, took off his jacket and began roaring and shouting at him. There were other people in the graveyard at the time saying prayers.” Judge Susan Fay said: “There were loose horses there. Somebody could have been injured.” Sgt Kirby said that Mr Burke did not wish to make a victim impact statement.
Defending solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said that her client (who turned 22 the day after the court case) “lives quite close to the graveyard and his horses had strayed into it. When Mr Burke told him they shouldn’t be there, he got cross. Mr Tuohy accepts that Mr Burke was only trying to ensure that the graveyard was kept in a proper manner.”
Judge Fay said: “Horses in a graveyard is very distressing.”
Ms Fitzpatrick said that her client “has €200 to offer by way of an apology to Mr Burke and to the church for allowing this to happen. It just wasn’t on what went on that day.”
Judge Fay said: “I want €500. There’re some great people and groups out there who trim the hedges and cut the grass in cemeteries and in graveyards on a voluntary basis, putting their own time and money into it.”
She went on to remand Mr Tuohy on continuing bail to 9 March for an additional €300 and ordered he undergo a community service assessment.
