'The most dangerous driving I've ever seen': West Cork man overtook four cars at once, court told

A Cork motorist who overtook four other cars in a single manoeuvre as he rushed to get to a local garage has been convicted of dangerous driving.

Inspector Ian O’Callaghan told Clonakilty District Court that Patrick O’Driscoll, aged 49, of Reenascreena North, Rosscarbery, was charged with two counts of dangerous driving relating to an incident on the main N71 road between Clonakilty and Rosscarbery on January 22, 2025.

A witness told the court that he was a front-seat passenger in a car heading towards Skibbereen from Rosscarbery which his daughter was driving while his wife was sitting in the back. He said there was heavy traffic in front of them while the road behind them was clear.

He said that as they approached a bend near Lisavaird village, a car came up behind them and overtook them at speed. The witness said the car cut in in front of them, giving his daughter “an awful shock” and causing her to brake.

A short time later the car overtook four more cars in a single manoeuvre as it headed out of the village, causing an oncoming truck to brake. He said the car did not have functioning brake lights, and the rear of the vehicle was “bashed in”. The witness told the court it was “the most dangerous driving I’ve ever seen”.

Garda Brian Noonan said he was on mobile patrol at the time and responded to a report of dangerous driving. He told the court that the registration number was for a Blue Avensis belonging to Patrick O’Driscoll of Reenascreena North.

Gda Noonan said he met Mr O’Driscoll in Reenascreena village, where he pulled him over and questioned him about the incident. The court was told that Mr O’Driscoll admitted driving the car at Lisavaird and that its NCT and tax discs had expired more than six months previously. The vehicle was then seized.

Mr O’Driscoll told the court that he was “under a lot of strain” at the time of the incident and his mother had been recently moved into residential care. He said that he was rushing to get to a local garage before it closed for lunch and conceded he did overtake several cars.

Defence solicitor Conrad Murphy asked for the charges to be reduced from dangerous driving to the lesser charges of careless driving. He said that Mr O’Driscoll had not driven since and with living in a rural location and visiting his mother in Skibbereen, this was a considerable hardship for him. He said that his client was co-operative and was also apologetic.

Judge Joanne Carroll said that, based on the witness statements, there was “clearly a case for dangerous driving”. She said that Mr O’Driscoll was “an extremely honest witness”, and she accepted he was under stress at the time.

The judge said that she had an obligation to the community to make sure the roads are safe and there was “no doubt that the driving of Mr O’Driscoll on this day was dangerous”.

She convicted Mr O’Driscoll on one count of dangerous driving which carries a mandatory disqualification of two years, and she dismissed the other charge. Recognisance for appeal was fixed in his own bond of €100.

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