Jail for Cork man who denied threatening to shoot bar manager and grabbing door staff by testicles

Kinsale man said he had three drinks on the night but admitted he was prone to getting into a 'blind rage' and is engaged in counselling to deal with the issue

Court heard defendant had previously been barred from the Blue Haven Hotel in Kinsale. Fileicture: Dan Linehan

A Cork man who denied he was intoxicated in a public place and used threatening and abusive behaviour has been convicted of both offences in the district court.

Inspector Kay O’Donoghue told Bandon District Court that Rory McNamara, aged 50, of Whispering Pines, Cappagh, Kinsale, denied the charges that were brought in relation to an incident at the Blue Haven Hotel, The Glen, Kinsale, on December 27, 2025.

Garda Fergal Dowling told the court he was called to the Blue Haven where a man was being restrained by security staff. Garda Dowling said the door staff told him McNamara was barred from the premises and had been asked to leave but had refused to do so.

The court heard McNamara had previously been barred and knew this was the case. However, he still “attempted several times” to buy a drink at the bar. 

He was asked to leave but refused and was escorted from the premises but became abusive and “grabbed a member of the door staff by the testicles”. 

The court heard McNamara was placed on the ground and Garda assistance was sought.

Garda Dowling said when he arrived, McNamara appeared to be intoxicated and was “violently lashing out” at those around him. 

The court was told it took four people to restrain McNamara in order to place handcuffs on him, and as he was being taken to a Garda car, he told the bar manager, 'Hey you with the glasses. I’ll get a gun and shoot you.' 

McNamara was taken to Bandon Garda Station, where he continued to behave violently and aggressively in the custody suite, headbutting a security screen. He was placed in a cell where he headbutted the cell wall and remained un-cooperative. 

When the charges were put to McNamara at 3.57am, he replied: “You can shove it up your fucking hole.” 

Defence submissions

Killian McCarthy, defending, said his client disputed the facts as outlined. He said McNamara claimed he was watching the band with his partner and had already been served a drink. 

When he went to order another, a female member of staff said he was barred and he was asked to leave, and he wanted to tell his partner what was happening but was prevented from doing so.

McNamara denied threatening the bar manager and squeezing the testicles of one of the door staff. 

Mr McCarthy also said Garda Dowling had failed to state in his evidence under what power he was arresting McNamara, and also failed to state McNamara was a danger to himself and to others.

The submissions were rejected by Judge Joanne Carroll.

Insp O’Donoghue put it to McNamara he could not remember making the threat to kill because he was drunk, which McNamara rejected. McNamara said he had three drinks on the night but admitted he was prone to getting into a “blind rage” and is engaged in counselling to deal with the issue.

Judge Carroll asked if McNamara would really headbutt a cell wall if he was not drunk, or if he would headbutt a security screen if he was sober. 

McNamara denied he had headbutted the cell wall at all. The court was told McNamara had 41 previous convictions, including 12 for threatening and abusive behaviour, and eight for public intoxication. 

He also had eight convictions for assault, one for assault causing harm, and five for criminal damage. The court was told he was also serving a two-year suspended sentence at the time.

Mr McCarthy asked the judge to consider allowing McNamara to complete anger-management counselling before sentencing. He said McNamara worked as a builder and was also carer for his father, who had dementia.

Judge Carroll said she was “quite satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt” that McNamara was guilty of the offences and said the fact he was on a suspended sentence made it even worse. 

She said she was also quite satisfied he did threaten to shoot the bar manager even though he was not charged with a threat to kill.

For threatening and abusive behaviour, McNamara was sentenced to three months in prison. On the public intoxication charge, he was placed on a 12-month probation bond on condition he continued to attend anger management. 

Recognisance for appeal was fixed on his own bond of €200.

This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme