Galway Advertiser 2008/GA_2008_02_21/GA_2102_E1_004.pdf 

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www.galwayadvertiser.ie

February 21 2008

Councillor's retrial date adjourned to October
BY ANN HEALY A date for fixing the re-trial of Galway county councillor Michael Fahy in connection with the alleged misappropriation of over 7,000 of county council funding was adjourned this week at Galway Circuit Criminal Court to next October. Councillor Fahy (57) of Caherduff, Ardrahan, Co Galway, was convicted by a jury at the same court last March on seven counts of theft and fraud following allegations that he had used public money to pay for the erection of fencing on his own private farm. He was sentenced later that month to 12 months in prison and was fined 75,000 by Judge Raymond Groarke. The former Fianna Fail councillor, who now sits on Galway County Council as an Independent councillor, appealed the convictions but had served most of the sentence at Castlerea Prison by the time they were overturned late last year by the Court of Criminal Appeal. Cllr Fahy was not present in court this week when his name was called as the matter was only on the court list for mention. His barrister, Francis Comerford, indicated that the matter would not commence before next October by agreement with both the prosecution and defence teams, and he suggested the case be entered on the court list at a later date. Judge Groarke, who had presided at the initial trial, asked if there would be any other applications to the court in relation to the matter, to which prosecuting barrister, Conor Fahy, replied, " I understand, no." Judge Groarke then adjourned the matter to the callover date for setting trial dates on October 7 next.

Pictured at the North Galway Hunt Ball in the Clayton Hotel on Saturday last were Seamus McComiskey Barna and Laura Tarpey, Rahoon. Pic: Sean Lydon