'Dopey bastard' remark in row between men at Tullamore GAA Club

Circuit Court judge says suspended sentence will be lifted if 73-year-old pays €5,000 to victim and writes fulsome letter of apology

Published 19th Jun 2026, 17:30 BST Appeal heard at Tullamore Circuit Court | Tribune Pictures Circuit Court judge says suspended sentence will be lifted if 73-year-old pays €5,000 to victim and writes fulsome letter of apology Sign up to our Offaly Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Offaly Live within your account.

A FORMER GAA club treasurer who punched a man after being called a “dopey bastard” has been ordered to pay the victim €5,000.

Judge Keenan Johnson said that if Brian Collins (73), T/C Wood Products, Cloncollig, Tullamore pays the money and writes a letter of apology to Peter Martin the Probation Act will be applied instead of a nine-month suspended sentence.

Mr Collins had denied assaulting Mr Martin, causing him harm, at Tullamore GAA Club's ground on October 30, 2024, but was found guilty after a District Court hearing in October last year.

Along with the suspended sentence Mr Collins was ordered to pay €2,000 to Mr Martin.

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An appeal against the severity of the sentence was heard at Tullamore Circuit Court and CCTV footage recorded on the evening of the offence was played.

Garda Adam Daly gave evidence that he was told by Peter Martin that he'd been punched by Brian Collins at the O'Brien Park GAA grounds following a verbal interaction between the men.

A medical report from Dr Michael Haverty was handed into the court which said that Mr Martin had felt a “hangover type headache” and neck pain following the punch and concussion was diagnosed after an MRI.

When CCTV footage from a camera which was used to record a training match in O'Brien Park was shown Garda Daly explained that Mr Martin, a member of Tullamore team management, could be seen on the pitch and then turning left towards the sideline where Mr Collins and a number of other people were standing.

Garda Daly said Mr Collins' arm could be seen coming out and appear to strike Mr Martin whose head moved backwards. Mr Martin could then be seen walking back onto the pitch.

The garda outlined the memo of an interview given by Mr Collins to the guards in January 2025 in which he said Mr Martin came over “very close” to him and called him a “dopey bastard”.

Mr Collins said he feared for his safety because of Mr Martin's “very aggressive manner” and waved him away with his right hand.

The accused told gardai he was a retired 72-year-old and was very intimidated by Mr Martin, describing him as a 42-year-old strength and conditioning coach.

He denied making contact with Mr Martin with his fist but said he had pushed him away with his the back of his right hand, making contact with the side of his face.

A victim impact statement from Mr Martin was read by Sandra Mahon, Offaly state solicitor and in it the man said the club's response to the incident had been very disappointing because the club committee, of which Mr Collins was a part, supported him “and ignored me”.

Mr Martin said he stepped away from club involvement for his own physical and mental wellbeing.

The place where he had been welcome became a place of dread and distress.

He said Mr Collins had shown no remorse before or following the conviction and in a reference to both parties' engagement in restorative justice, Mr Martin said that process could only happen if the accused acknowledged the basic facts of the case.

He said Mr Collins, in a letter, contested the level of charge he was convicted of.

A second letter sent to Mr Martin via a facilitator failed to answer “basic questions” put to him and Mr Collins failed to acknowledge the harm caused and the verdict of the court.

He said the incident had caused himself and his family anxiety and distress, he had to withdraw himself from the GAA club, and he hoped to close the door on the matter.

Cross-examined by Justin McQuade, BL, defending, Garda Daly said Mr Collins had no previous convictions and accepted that there appeared to be “awkwardness” between the two men.

When Mr McQuade put it to him that Mr Martin had made a remark towards the accused, Garda Daly said: “Mr Martin doesn't say that in his statement.”

Mr McQuade said Mr Martin had gone over to speak to somebody standing beside Mr Collins.

Garda Daly said it was correct to say that Mr Collins had said he was called a “dopey bastard” by Mr Martin and in an email to Tullamore GAA after the incident, the injured party stated he had said that and the defendant “immediately reacted”.

In the email to the club Mr Martin made an immediate complaint and asked for action to be taken.

Mr McQuade said the gardai had not been alerted to the email at the time and it was being introduced now for “context only”.

Having read the email Judge Johnson remarked: “There seems to be a clash of personalities here.”

Garda Daly agreed with Mr McQuade that Mr Martin was not satisfied with two letters of apology and the mediator decided not to continue.

Mr McQuade told the court his client was a married man who had been self employed all his life and had grown up children and his son and daughter were in court.

He had been a member of Tullamore GAA for more than 60 years and had been a player, coach and club treasurer.

Testimonials attesting to Mr Collins' good character from his daughter, his former business partner, Tom Moloney of Tullamore GAA and Val Smith were handed in. Mr Collins was described as a highly successful treasurer who returned the club to good financial health while in that role.

There were also letters from a GP which said Mr Collins now had acute anxiety and his family were concerned about him. Counselling had been recommended.

Mr McQuade also said Mr Collins had received a 48-week ban from the GAA arising from the incident with Mr Martin.

The accused man had made a donation to the Dochas cancer charity and the probation service had raised no red flags and concluded that no intervention was required.

Asking for the Probation Act to be applied, Mr McQuade said the threshold for custody had not been met and the suspended sentence of nine months was 75% of the maximum penalty.

The court was told by Ms Mahon that the District Court had ordered the payment of €2,000 in compensation by Mr Collins to Mr Martin and that had not been done.

Mr McQuade said the €2,000 had not been paid because of the appeal but it could be done forthwith.

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Giving his decision, Judge Johnson said it seemed there had been some animus between the accused and the victim and there had been an unfortunate series of events involving two decent people.

The District Court did not have the benefit of “that very significant email” in which Mr Martin admitted calling Mr Collins a “dopey bastard”.

The judge said there was the old adage “sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt” and the reaction of Mr Collins was inappropriate and should not have happened.

Having read all the submitted documents, he said it appeared Mr Collins was an exceptionally good treasurer of the club, changing a deficit of €150,000 to a surplus of over €400,000 in a number of years.

He said it was unfortunate the restorative justice did not work out and he believed Mr Collins still needed to put a genuine apology in writing to Mr Martin.

Judge Johnson said that if that “fulsome letter of apology” is written and €5,000 is paid by Mr Collins then he would apply the Probation Act.

He acknowledged Mr Collins had also already made a “significant contribution” to the local cancer charity and it is part of the remorse shown by the accused.

The judge put finalisation of the matter back to July 7 at Portlaoise Circuit Court and put on record his sympathy to Mr Martin and his family.

Related topics: Tullamore Tullamore Circuit Court Tullamore GAA Judge Keenan Johnson Sign up to our Offaly Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Offaly Live within your account.