Judge dismisses overloaded boat case as he rules rival set ‘trap’
Killarney boat owner Tadhg O’Connor, of High St, Killarney, Co Kerry, the owner of number of commercial boats on the lakes, and skipper Eddie McSweeney, accepted their boat was carrying 15 passengers instead of 12 on July 8, 2014, when it returned to Reen Pier Ross Castle after completing the world renowned ‘Gap Trip’ through the three lakes of Killarney. However, there was a climate of intimidation and intense rivalry in the boating industry in Killarney and “a rival operator” had set them up midway through the journey at a point of chaos where passengers would disembark and walk around a weir, the court was told.
Not taking the three passengers on board would have left them stranded in a remote area of the park, it was argued.
