Judge bans mother of 10 from every pub in Clare town

Solicitor for Ms Donovan, John Casey, said that Ms Donovan’s husband, Martin ‘Gu Gu’ Donovan, brought his wife out for a birthday celebration on the night.

Mr Casey said that, instead of treating her to a romantic candlelit meal with a couple of glasses of wine, Mr Donovan brought his wife to a pub to watch him play pool with his friends.

Mr Casey said his client was upset by the way she was treated by her husband more than anyone else.

Mr Casey said Ms Donovan had drink taken and took her frustration out on Ms Garrihy after reading the situation wrong when Mr Donovan shook hands with Ms Garrrihy in the pub.

Mr Casey said: “Ms Donovan accepts that Ms Garrihy did no wrong on the night.”

In her victim impact statement, Ms Garrihy said that before assaulting her, Ms Donovan told her that she was “a whore’s bastard”.

Insp Tom Kennedy said that Ms Donovan assaulted Ms Garrihy by pulling her hair, knocked onto the ground and hitting her a number of times.

In evidence, Ms Garrihy told the court that, after her pulling down, Ms Donovan called out “boys, boys, boys” “and her two sons came over and continuously kicked me into the head until I was unconscious”.

Ms Garrihy said that she was brought by ambulance to University Hospital Galway and kept in overnight.

Mr Casey said his client has no previous convictions. “She regrets what happened and apologises and has never been in trouble before,” he said.

Judge Durcan said Ms Donovan is lucky she does not have any previous convictions “otherwise she would be going by paddywagon express to Limerick Prison”.

Judge Durcan also imposed a fine of €500 on Ms Donovan.