Overseas charities were the biggest recipients of the €2.18m paid by offenders to the court poor box, according to figures compiled by the Courts Service.

Many grooms begrudgingly sign up to the church’s customary pre-marriage course — but it pales in comparison to the marathon series of rituals endured by one Kerryman to gain the hand his Kenyan bride.

Local charities in Kerry got less than €50,000 from the court poor box last year, while international charities benefited to the tune of €480,000 from offenders who came before the county’s courts.