Three convicted and fined after sulky race on N4

A sulky race on the N4 between Sligo and Dublin — footage of which was posted on YouTube — resulted in three people being convicted and fined at Sligo District Court.

The convictions came within days of gardaí bringing a highly dangerous sulky race to an end on the Cork to Mallow road.

The footage of the horse race between Limerick Lady and Duck Filly shows vehicles almost four abreast on the road.

Sligo District Court judge Kevin Kilrane slammed sulky racing and its followers as people who “think they are a law unto themselves”.

“It’s medieval,” he said.

“They did not know or did not care who else was on this busy road or who else could have been seriously injured or even worse.”

This incident happened on June 26, 2010 at about 4.30pm.

The judge convicted Hughie McGinley, of Ballyfree, Sligo, and Martin J Sweeney, of Crozon Crescent, Sligo, of dangerous driving.

He convicted Winnie Sweeney, Lahinch, Hollymount, Co Mayo, of withholding information from gardaí arising out the incident. All three pleaded guilty.

McGinley was fined €300 and banned from driving for a year. Martin J Sweeney was convicted of dangerous driving and ordered to come up with €1,500 by May 31 if he wanted to keep his driving licence.

Gerry McGovern, defence solicitor for McGinley and Winnie Sweeney, said his clients would have to realise the highways of Ireland were not meant for this type of activity. He said Winnie Sweeney had withheld information through fear.