A court has heard that a farmer accused a neighbouring farmer of stealing his missing dog and told him “I will get you” during a long-running dispute between the two men.
At Gort District Court, Judge Adrian Harris found Brian Gill, 44, of Cahermore, Kinvara, Co Galway, guilty of using threatening, abusive and insulting words against Brian Murphy with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. The findings related to two incidents, on 21 May 2025 and 2 February this year.
The judge did not convict Gill of either offence. He applied the Probation Act for one year and told Gill that he must complete an anger management course if the Probation Service recommends one. Judge Harris said there was a context to the offences and clear ill feeling between the men going back some time.
Murphy told the court that during the May 2025 incident at Caherawoneen South, Kinvara, the two met while driving on a narrow road at about 9pm. He said Gill accused him of stealing his dog and said “I will get you”. Murphy said he knew nothing about the dog and did not speak to Gill.
Gill told the court his dog went missing on 19 May 2025 and that he received a phone call on 1 July saying the dog was 35km away. He said the dog did not walk that distance. He denied threatening Murphy and said he had asked where the dog was, while Murphy called him a fool.
Gill’s counsel, Martin Durack, said there was an agrarian background to the incident and past disputes over fences. Gill said he had been told by three people that the dog was seen in the back of Murphy’s yard, but declined to identify them. He also said he believed Murphy knew something about the dog.
Under cross-examination, Gill said he was angry because the matter had gone on for the past 10 years. He told the judge it was the 15th time he had been in court over Murphy, directly or indirectly. Insp Daragh Browne said Gill remained frustrated and still believed someone had removed the dog.