THE Co Mayo mother who was jailed after a row with her neighbours over a pet rooster and a boundary wall is back with her family after apologising to a judge for contempt of court.
Mrs Myra Gallagher (62) was released following a special late evening sitting of the Dublin Circuit Civil Court, and was due home to Achill Sound, Co Mayo, early today.
She was accompanied by her son Tommy (22), and local curate, Father John Kenny, who had gone to Dublin to negotiate her release. She had spent almost two weeks in prison.
A local publican, Mr Michael McLoughlin, who campaigned for Mrs Gallagher's release and helped compile a petition which was to be presented to the Minister for Justice, said he was delighted with the outcome.
"When the local radio station rang with the news, I just said. `Thanks be to God'."
Some 2,500 people signed the petition out of a total population in the parish of about 3,800.
Mrs Gallagher was jailed for ignoring a court order to get rid of the crowing bird and construct a fence between her garden and her neighbour's.
Judge Harvey Kenny committed her to prison until she had purged her contempt. But after apologising to Judge Kenny for breaching his order at a sitting of the Circuit Civil Court last night she was released by order of the court. Judge Kenny adjourned the matter to the Circuit Court in Westport on January 28th.
Speaking outside the courtroom after the hearing, Father Kenny said Mrs Gallagher had beef given "breathing space to comply with the original court order to build a six foot wall or else fry to reach a new agreement with her neighbours".
It was clear, however, that a bitter controversy over property and the Gallaghers' rooster, Caoile which has raged within the local community for much of the past five years, meant that the welcome home would be low key.
Mr McLoughlin said that he knew both the Gallaghers and the Masterson family, who live next door, and both were "nice families".
Local county councillor, Mr Pat Kilbane (FG), who lives beside the two families on Fionans Road on Achill Sound, said he hoped last night's hearing could be the basis for a final resolution.