By Ronan Judge

A judge has told an Inis Mór man convicted for a third time of driving without insurance that he is at the “end of the road” and the next stop is a potential prison sentence.

At Cill Rónáin District Court, Judge Brendan O’Reilly disqualified Ryan Joyce (30) from driving for four years and imposed fines totalling €950.

Joyce, with an address at Mainistir, Cill Rónáin, pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and without a driving license at Cill Rónáin on March 9, 2025.

Garda Paul Quinn told the court he was aware Joyce was subject to a driving ban when he saw him behind the wheel of a silver Toyota Ayensis on the date in question. The court was told this the accused’s third conviction for driving without insurance.

Gda Quinn agreed with defence solicitor, Michael Cunningham, that Ryan Joyce cooperated on the night, was working on the island and since March had respected the disqualification order.

Mr Cunningham said there were “quite unusual circumstances” behind his client’s decision to drive on the day.

He said Mr Joyce has been suffering with serious mental health problems since a family bereavement and his father thought it would be a good idea to get him a dog.

“I was thinking of a push bike,” Judge O’Reilly replied.

Mr Cunningham said that the dog had just given birth to pups and as a result of having been struck by a vehicle, was not caring for pups. The court was told Mr Joyce was on his way to get a milk substitute for the pups when he met Gda Quinn.

Mr Cunningham said his client was seeing a counsellor on a weekly basis and the driving ban would affect him as he worked in construction on Inis Mór. He asked the court to take into his account his client’s cooperation and not impose a custodial sentence.

“It was a once-off incident of driving in very unusual circumstances,” Мг Cunningham added.

The accused’s father also asked the court to show his son leniency. He said his son was a “good horseman who can handle his cattle” but has been seriously affected mental health issues that started six years ago following a bereavement.

He said the introduction of the dog was good for his son and good for the family and in the last seven or eight months “we have our son back”.

In reply to a question from Judge O’Reilly about whether or not his son would respect court orders regarding his driving, the man said, “I could really stake my life in it”.

In sentencing, Judge O’Reilly said he took into account the accused’s guilty plea and previous record.

He continued, “I am influenced by the words his father says and the father comes across as an honest man and someone who has control over the way his son lives his life here.”

Addressing the accused in Irish, Judge O’Reilly said the road traffic laws were the same on Inis Mór as they are on the mainland.

“A court order is a court order. It is serious,” the judge added.

He told Ryan Joyce he was at the “end of the road” with regards to driving offences and the next stop was a potential prison sentence.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme