A music teacher, who’s been teaching the tin whistle to children in Uganda, has been disqualified from driving.
Neil Desmond McGonagle was put off the road when he appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with driving without insurance.
A 50-year-old of Magheramore, Clonmany, McGonagle was clocked travelling in excess of the speed limit at Raymoghey, Manorcunningham at 1.45pm on April 25, 2022.
Garda Garrett Monaghan gave evidence that he was operating a speed checkpoint when he detected a silver Kia Ceed speeding. When he stopped the vehicle, he noted that the driver, McGonagle, held a provisional licence and was unaccompanied.
McGonagle opted to produce documentation at Clonmany garda station, but did not do so.
Ms Alison Parke, solicitor for McGonagle, said her client previously suffered a major heart attack and on the day in question drove to an appointment at hospital as his wife was unable to drive him.
“He felt that he had no option,” Ms Parke said. “He usually travels everywhere on an electric bike.”
Ms Parke said her client, a father-of-two, was a music teacher, but is now unemployed. He has been teaching the tin whistle to children in Uganda and Ms Parke said he ‘also travels to raise money’.
Asking for the court’s lenience, Ms Parke said: “He needs his licence to get back to work. He depends on the car to travel and he has been cooperative.”
Judge Éiteáin Cunningham said she was concerned by the volume of previous convictions McGonagle had for road traffic offences. “He has quite a number of them,” Judge Cunningham noted.
McGonagle’s previous included one for driving without insurance dating back to 2005. While of the view that it was outside time to be considered, Judge Cunningham fined McGonagle €250 and allowed six months to pay. McGonagle was also disqualified from driving for a period or two years.
Recognisance, in the event of an appeal, was set at €250.