Two Offaly men who produced a sledge hammer and a hurley during an argument, and drove with a garda on the bonnet of their car, were yesterday ordered to pay a total of €33,700 in fines and compensation payments by a judge.
Tullamore District Court heard that both men were visiting their native Edenderry from their current homes in Birmingham and subjected Garda David Scahill to a "terrifying experience" on November 14th last.
Mr Edward Cullen, Crampton Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, and Noel Maher, Himley Close, Great Barr, Birmingham, both apologised to the court for their actions.
They were described as "a disgrace to Ireland and to Irish emigrants" by Judge John Neilan.
On the night of the incidents, the court heard, the men were enjoying a farewell drink with friends and family before returning to England, where both have been living for over 10 years.
When a row developed with some locals, the men went away and came back with a hurley and a sledge hammer.
The hurley was used to strike someone, but gardaí intervened before the sledge hammer was used.
Gardaí arrived as the men were in their car and about to leave the scene. Garda Scahill, who was approaching their car, ended up on the bonnet of the car and was driven for a few hundred yards up the street.
He eventually got off the bonnet and was uninjured. Arresting gardaí said they found the two men "hard to handle".
Both men had a number of previous convictions for various crimes in Ireland and in England.