Cork man tells court 'I’m very ashamed of myself' following drunken incident

Defendant told the court he was now 'off everything'

The court was told defendant had 16 previous convictions for a variety of offences, including public order. Picture: Dan Linehan

A Cork man who pleaded guilty to public intoxication following a domestic incident has turned his life around and is no longer drinking or taking drugs, the district court was told.

Kevin Dinan, aged 43, of Fairways, Baltimore Road, Skibbereen, Co Cork, represented himself and pleaded guilty to a single count of intoxication in a public place contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994.

Sergeant Tom Mulcahy said gardaí were called to a disturbance at Páirc Goodman, Gortnaclohy, Skibbereen, on October 29, 2025. A domestic disturbance was reported and when they arrived Kevin Dinan was on the public road outside the house in an intoxicated state. 

The court was told Dinan had 16 previous convictions for a variety of offences, including public order.

Dinan said he was living at the address in Gortnaclohy at the time and was trying to get some clothes. He admitted he was intoxicated but said he was not making noise and had been in addiction treatment for most of the previous year. 

Dinan said he was working full-time in a factory as a supervisor and had moved address. He told the court he was now “off everything”. 

When asked by Judge Joanne Carroll if there would be a repeat of the behaviour, Dinan replied: “No Judge. I’m very ashamed of myself.” 

Judge Carroll said Dinan appeared to be addressing his issues and had changed his life for the better. She said he could avoid a conviction and €325 fine if he made a €200 contribution to the court poor box. The matter was adjourned to January 27, 2026 for finalisation.

This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme