Alcoholic ordered to join Pioneers

A judge has told a chronic alcoholic that he better join the Pioneers — otherwise he will be sent to jail next week.

Judge Patrick Durcan sounded the ultimatum to Jamie O’Connor, aged 36, at Ennis District Court as the Ennis native appeared on yet another drunk and disorderly charge.

Judge Durcan told Mr O’Connor: “Go down to the cathedral and get a Pioneer pin and certificate from the priest. If you don’t produce the pin and the cert for me in court next week, you’ll be packed off to prison.”

Judge Durcan also told Mr O’Connor that “there is no bar in Limerick prison”.

Mr O’Connor, of no fixed abode, has 15 previous convictions for being drunk and disorderly and the latest incident before the court relates to October 15.

Insp Tom Kennedy said O’Connor “is a drain on local Garda resources in the number of times he has been arrested and processed for being drunk”.

Solicitor for Mr O’Connor, Stiofán Fitzpatrick said Judge Durcan “is very sympathetic to Mr O’Connor, as he is to all of the alcoholics that come before him”.

Mr O’Connor was remanded on bail and is due to return to court with his Pioneer pin and cert next week.