2.3K When the case was called, Mr. Behan said (in Irish): “I want this case to be heard in Irish, please. According to the Constitution of this country, I have a right to be heard in Irish.”
Mr. Behan (in Irish): “Justice, can I speak to you for a moment.”
Guard Molloy then began his evidence in English. He said that he went to Church road. “I saw the defendant…”
Guard Molloy, continuing his evidence in English, said that he asked the defendant what he was looking for. He was lying down. A local doctor, who was also on the scene, told him that Mr. Behan was not ill and that he appeared to be a case for the police. “He said that he was looking for his wife,” the witness said, “and added that she was in one of the local houses. He was dishevelled and appeared to have been in a struggle. He said: “Here are the *********** bloodhounds”, and, “You are ******* murderers”.
Guard Molloy said the defendant had to be forced into the patrol car, and had to be forced out of it again at the police station. He was forcibly searched, and then forcibly put into a cell. He added: “He kicked at the cell door from 1.30am to 4.30am. He said the police were ******* murderers, and said, ‘You are no ******* good’. He was discharged at 8am, when he was till in the same tone of voice.”
Mr. Behan, cross-examining the guard in Irish: “When I asked you for a drop of water during the night, did you give it to me?”
The next witness, Guard Denis O’Leary, said that he was called to Church Road in a patrol car on the morning of March 4th. When he attempted to arrest the defendant, he called him a bloodhound, and said that he would get him in the morning. He had to be forced into the patrol car and out of it at the station.”
Guard L.C. McEntaggart said that he was in the patrol car which came to arrest the defendant. “When we tried to get him into the car, he called me a ******* guttersnipe,” said witness.
District Justice: “Isn’t it obvious that he went there on a skite?”
District Justice: “I am trying to keep him out of jail. I don’t seem to be able to do that. You don’t seem to be able to control him.”
Inspector Kelly said that if the case had been carried out in a proper manner, he would not press it. It was a shame that an otherwise very talented man should behave like a blackguard. “He was drunk, and he was very violent, and he had behaved very badly.”
District Justice: “Is that an apology?”
The Day Behan Was Arrested On Church Road
The iconic writer makes some serious Greystones noise
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