Brothers in land dispute are ordered to keep the peace
The defendants pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
Two North Mayo brothers who became involved in a land dispute with their neighbours have been bound to the peace for three years.
Vincent (62) and Kevin (60) Kelly, of Tawnywaddyduff, Moygownagh, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to using threatening or abusive language.
Gda Chris Barrett said the two brothers had been involved in a dispute with a neighbour over a boundary between lands. On May 27, 2020, the brothers were involved in an incident down a boreen in Moygownagh where they used threatening and abusive language towards their neighbours and smashed the windows of a tractor with a hammer.
State barrister Patrick Reynolds said there had been an element of provocation by the neighbours during this incident and a video of it went viral on the TikTok and Snapchat social media channels.
Barrister Diarmuid Connolly said the brothers have been hard-working farmers all their lives. He noted that disagreements over land always generated "high passions’" but four and a half years have elapsed since the incident and "peace had broken out".
Mr Connolly said it was unfortunate that men of their age have to come to court but told Judge Eoin Garavan this was the last he would see of the brothers.
“You won’t see the Kellys in a courthouse again unless it’s used as a polling station,” said Mr Connolly.
Judge Garavan said this was an incident where "tempers were up" but he noted that the brothers have kept the peace without fail for four years. He bound them over to the peace for another three years.
