Shirtless fisherman arrested for being intoxicated in middle of West Cork street

A fisherman who was charged with public intoxication following an incident in West Cork in December pleaded guilty to the offence at a recent sitting of Skibbereen District Court.

Sergeant Tom Mulcahy said Callum Fahy, aged 26, of Mizen View, Ballinard, Baltimore, was arrested on Main St, Skibbereen, at 8.50pm on Monday, December 8, 2025.

The court was told that Fahy was seen walking in the middle of the road with no shirt on causing disruption to traffic. He was approached by gardaí and was found to be highly intoxicated, slurring his words and unsteady on his feet.

Gardaí formed the opinion that Fahy was a danger to himself and to others and he was arrested. The court heard Fahy had 16 previous convictions, including four for public intoxication as well as convictions for assault causing harm, assault and possession of drugs.

Defence solicitor, Flor Murphy, said Fahy was a fisherman based in Castletownbere and when he was fishing there was “no problem”. 

He said Fahy tended to get into trouble when he was not working and at the time of the incident he had been off work for six weeks because he had broken his leg in a fishing accident.

Fahy said he was back working, helping to prepare the boat he worked on for a new fishing season and he was “much better”.

He told Judge Joanne Carroll that he sometimes used drugs but only when he was drinking and that he did not drink when he was working.

Judge Carroll asked Fahy: “Does it ever occur to you that you shouldn’t drink at all?”

She said that when Fahy drinks he “seems to create problems” and that he should consider the fact that he has a suspended sentence “hanging over him” if he decided to drink.

“Walking down the street on December 8 with no shirt on, when there are a lot of people out socialising and families meeting up, is not a way to behave.”

The judge said Fahy appeared to be “a decent man” but “if you continue this way you are going to end up in prison”.

Fahy was admitted to a probation bond for 12 months on condition he makes a €150 donation to the court poor box, co-operates fully with the Probation Service, attends all appointments and attends addiction treatment.

He was remanded on continuing bail to appear again on January 27. The judge said that if he did not make the €150 contribution by then he would be fined €300.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme