A groom and his best man ended up in court after a foul-mouthed bust-up at the stag.
Brothers Ruairi and Jonathon Mahon were charged with public order offences after the pre-wedding bash turned sour.
The bickering pair were found by gardai outside the Station House Hotel in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, at 9.18pm on March 1 last, during Jonathan’s stag.
When officers arrived, the siblings, from Co Down, were shouting and fighting with each other and calling each other names.
Garda Sgt Jim Collins told Letterkenny District Court: “They were acting aggressively towards each other and calling each other names.”
Both were arrested and brought to Letterkenny Garda station.
They appeared in court along with their mother.
Their solicitor Patsy Gallagher said she has taken a very dim view of her sons’ behaviour.
He added: “They have never come before the courts before and they are very embarrassed by this. They are very close brothers and have no recollection of this argument.”
The court was told Jonathan, 25, is a mechanical engineer and 21-year-old Ruairi is finishing his degree in college.
Mr Gallagher added when both men were released from Garda custody they apologised to the hotel staff and then stayed there for the rest of the weekend. The solicitor said: “This is a salutary lesson for both of these young men.”
Judge Paul Kelly asked the pair if this was the way people carried on in Northern Ireland, from where they had travelled for the stag party?
He said: “Has the intended bride found out about this and what does she think of it? Is he still going to be the best man?” The brothers, from Manse Road in Ceaford, Co Down, replied the bride had been made aware of the matter and Ruairi was still going to be Jonathan’s best man.
Judge Kelly said “Stag parties are generally very welcome in this part of the country from other countries but not if they carry on like this.
“Hopefully this will be the last we will see of these gentlemen in this court.”
He ordered both men to pay €100 each to the Letterkenny Youth and Community Club and he will strike out the charges.
