Fined horse dealer describes wife as his ‘third mare’

A Gap of Dunloe horse trader who is seeking extra time to pay a fine described his wife as a potential “third mare” to help pay off his fine to the baffled amusement of Killarney District Court yesterday.

Pat Ferris, aged 50, of Dunloe, Beaufort, Killarney, is due to pay a fine of €2,500.

His solicitor Padraig O’Connell said his client wished an extension of time to pay the fine imposed by the court in Dec 2012 in relation to a Revenue/Customs matter.

Mr O’Connell explained the extension was being sought “to allow Mr Ferris to sell animals”.

Judge James O’Connor asked Mr Ferris how many cattle and horses he had sold last year.

However, Mr Ferris said he had never traded in cattle and had sold only three horses last year, for which he got a total of €1,500.

Ferris, who was dressed smart–casual with clean wellingtons, told the judge he also had to pay €5,000 to a named company for sinking a well on his lands. He now had just two mares. He would get around €1,000 for each mare, he answered the judge after some reflection.

However, Judge James O’Connor asked if he had a third mare, as he would surely need to get “a third mare” at this rate to pay off the full fine.

To which Mr Ferris replied: “The third mare would be my wife . . . I’m sure she’d help”.

The court and public galleries broke into sustained laughter.

Judge O’Connor said he had heard enough and he would grant the extension to September to allow the horses to be sold at Puck Fair.