Star’s wedding overshadows opening of tribunal

IT may be the most momentous event in the history of the gardaí in Ireland, but for the people of Donegal yesterday, the garda corruption tribunal was only a sideshow to the main event.

As an unprecedented battery of legal heavy hitters descended on the quiet north-western town, accompanied by an expectant media, the wedding of the county's favourite son, Daniel O'Donnell, in Kinncasslagh was exercising a far greater draw on locals' imaginations.

Tribunal chair Mr Justice Frederick Morris, Peter Charleton, the most high-profile criminal prosecutor in the State, and host of senior counsels, had travelled from Dublin.

It was a tight squeeze on the legal benches with little room for taking notes, as one barrister complained.

Yet the public benches were near empty, a handful of gardaí, one or two curious spectators, and in the corner, film-maker and playwright Gerry Stembridge.

Certainly, the preliminary outline delivered briskly in of the court yesterday revealed plenty of plot lines. A mystery death, broken relationships, lies and deceit though by whom we do not yet know the IRA, gardaí and their informants, and Adrienne McGlinchey, dubbed by one garda as Donegal's own Walter Mitty.

But it could be a long-term project for Mr Stembridge, as the Morris Tribunal is likely to run for two years.

It could be shorter, depending on witnesses, Mr Charleton said. The mass of contradictions in statements means someone is lying, he said. He urged whoever they are to come clean when they are called to give evidence.

Telling the truth, no matter how bad the mistake, can be ennobling, he said.

Despite this being unofficially the McBrearty tribunal, there were no members of that family in the court, nor are they being represented, unlike the Garda Commissioner and other key witnesses. They may be compelled to given evidence though.

This tribunal was on behalf of the people of Donegal and the wider community, senior counsel Charleton made clear in opening remarks.

But there did not appear to be that much public interest in an affair that has hung over the county for years.

The public gallery was uncannily quiet and only a curious few took a passing interest in proceedings via a video link in the Abbey Hotel around the corner from the court.

The focus was on events up the county Daniel O'Donnell's wedding was a bigger show in town.