A farmers' 'MooPoo' outing at Ted Fest descended into violence after a young farmer produced an imitation hand-gun from his boxer shorts in a confrontation with another man.

At Ennis Circuit Court, counsel for Alan McNulty, Patrick Whyms BL, said: "You couldn't make this up, but if you did you would probably locate it at a 'Father Ted' festival in Lisdoonvarna."

McNulty (29), of Oakland House, Ruan, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to possessing a realistic imitation firearm at The Square, Lisdoonvarna, on May 6, 2018.

Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly BL, told the court that Garda Christopher White came upon a scene at 7.45pm at The Square where "there was a number of people present who appeared to have various injuries".

Gda White told the court: "There was a lot of walking wounded."

The street fight involving a number of men was sparked by a confrontation between McNulty and Ennis man JP Keating (28) in which McNulty produced the imitation firearm.

Mr Connolly told the court that McNulty was in Lisdoonvarna with other Teagasc students who were involved in a 'MooPoo' event for charity at Ted Fest.

The students were selling numbered tickets that corresponded to quadrants in a field and the winner was the ticket holder who had the quadrant in which a cow defecated.

Mr Connolly said Mr Keating had purchased a ticket for the MooPoo at the Ritz pub and Mr Keating and the accused later had words.

The lawyer said a very drunk McNulty went to his car to get the imitation firearm or pellet gun and he met Mr Keating on the street.

Mr Connolly told the court that Mr Keating said to gardaí in his statement: "Out of nowhere I spotted what looked to be a firearm - a pistol he was taking out of his boxers."

Mr Connolly said Mr Keating "then shouted 'he has a f**king gun' and he wanted to inform people that they were in imminent danger".

The lawyer said Mr Keating "went into survival mode, he feared for his life and he tried to disarm Mr McNulty whilst also assaulting him".

Mr Connolly said the gun was knocked out of McNulty's hand.

Mr Whyms said the confrontation over the gun "had set in train a bizarre sequence of events".

He said herd instinct then kicked in, with people from the two sides getting involved in fights with each other.

McNulty had a chipped tooth, blood to his face and had no recollection of what happened from the incident.

Mr Whyms said his client had used the gun only to scare off birds and pointed out that it wasn't illegal to own or purchase such a gun.

Mr Whyms also said McNulty hadn't drunk alcohol since the incident.

Judge Gerald Keys imposed a €1,000 fine on McNulty.

Irish Independent