Yesterday a district judge said the two former friends had no regard for other children or parents arriving there that morning.

Judge Marie Keane said: “This was a most appalling incident. That it happened outside a school I regard as a highly aggravating factor.

“Clearly, a lot of children and parents were present and neither party had any regard for other children or their parents dropping them to school.

“They were friends in the past, they had a falling out. I do not accept that outside the school was the appropriate forum to discuss their differences.”

Skye Moran, aged 24, of 1 Na Fuinseoga, Spring Lane, Blackpool, Cork, denied assaulting Joy O’Leary while Joy O’Leary, aged 37, of 6 Glenthorn Mews, Dublin Hill, Cork, denied assaulting Skye Moran.

Judge Keane said she found that the State had proved the facts against both women.

Judge Keane said: “They were pushing and shoving each other and both parties fell to the ground.

“The protagonist in this matter was Ms Moran. Ms Moran — for whatever reason — engaged in a verbal tirade.

“She said as much to gardaí in a memo of the interview when she said of the day, ‘I was saying what I wanted to say.’ That appears to be the nub of the matter.”

Noting that she had previous convictions, including two for assault, the judge said Moran could do 120 hours of community service instead of three months in prison.

O’Leary had no previous convictions of any kind and her assault was dismissed under the Probation of Offenders Act. She was bound to the peace for 12 months.

O’Leary told Insp Finbarr O’Sullivan at Cork District Court that, on the morning of April 12 last year she was dropping a child to Scoil Oilibhéir on Dublin Hill, Blackpool, Cork, when Moran said from behind her, “You are late again and you are only living up the road,” and hit her from behind.

She said she went to the principal’s office and that Moran barged in after her.

O’Leary said Moran waited outside the school and said, “Hiya bestie”, to her.

She said Moran gave her a few digs in the back of the head and pulled her jacket by the hood.

She said that a pre-school child in her arms ended up on the middle of the road.

O’Leary said she pulled Moran by the hair but only in self-defence to get her away.

Moran testified that the other woman made comments to her including making the comment, “killer”.

She said she heard O’Leary telling the principal she had been assaulted so she went in and told her to stop lying.

Moran said before they fell out she loved O’Leary who had been a good friend. However, she said that was now very different since the falling out.

“I am friends with the woman years but she is an evil person, like.”

Solicitors Frank Buttimer and Shane Collins-Daly represented Moran and O’Leary respectively.