Woman charged with stealing from Cork restaurant remanded on bail

A book of evidence will be served later this year on a woman charged with stealing over €70,000 from TV chef Martin Shanahan who owns the award winning Fishy Fishy restaurant in Kinsale, Co Cork.

Nessa Gilsenan of Copper Beech House, Mellifontstown, Kinsale, who was an employee of the restaurant, was not required to appear before Bandon District Court in Co Cork today.

Her solicitor Daithí Ó Donnabháin agreed to an application, which was made by the State that Ms Gilsenan be remanded on continuing bail until September for service of the book of evidence.

Judge Joanne Carroll remanded the accused on bail until her next court appearance on September 18 next.

Ms Gilsenan, aged 51, faces 132 charges which relate to theft and the alleged submitting of false documents. More than 110 charges are for theft whilst she faces additional charges relating to false documents.

The charges are that Ms Gilsenan did steal property, to wit, various sums of money from Fishy Fishy, the property of Martin Shanahan. The various sums she allegedly stole range from €82 to €1,650.

Ms Gilsenan is also charged that she dishonestly, with the intention of making a gain for herself or another, in furnishing information for her employer, for the purpose of weekly staff payroll approval, did produce or make use of a document made or acquired for accounting purposes that was misleading, false, or deceptive in a material manner.

The alleged offences occurred between 2017 and 2022.

The charges are contrary to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.

Ms Gilsenan first appeared before the court in March of this year.

Meanwhile, Fishy Fishy was established by one of Ireland’s leading seafood chefs Martin Shanahan in 2006. The restaurant has the capacity for 160 customers and is run by Martin and his wife Marie.

Mr Shanahan embarked on his first venture in television in 2009, filming the first of a successful series of programmes, Martin’s Mad about Fish.

He also teamed up with chef Paul Flynn to feature in the series Surf ‘n’ Turf, which aired on RTÉ. Mr Shanahan has also written a number of successful cookery books.