Exhausted ‘Fastest Fingers’ musician crashed his van

A fast-fingered accordion player was so exhausted after two performances in different counties on the same day — he struck a ditch, crashed his van, destroyed his instruments and his equipment. And his band did not play on, a court was told.

Killarney District Court yesterday was told 27-year-old Michael O’Brien was the leading member of a four-person group of musicians, called after himself.

Known on social media as “Fastest Fingers” because of his skill with the traditional accordion, O’Brien of Brarackhill, Castlemaine, Kerry, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention at 5am on June 15 last, at Lissivane West, Milltown, near his home. He was alone in the vehicle.