Man (28) appears in court over €16,000 damage to Wolfe Tones GAA bar
Gordon Deegan
A Limerick man has appeared in court charged with causing €16,000 in criminal damage to the clubhouse bar counter at Wolfe Tones GAA club in Co Clare.
At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Owen Casey (28) also appeared in connection with the burglary of Wolfe Tones GAA Clubhouse in Shannon on the same date as the alleged criminal damage offence on July 9th last year.
The club is the home of Clare's All-Ireland-winning senior hurling manager and double All-Ireland winner as a player, Brian Lohan.
Thousands of Clare fans gathered at the grounds on Wolfe Tones on July 22nd last year to welcome back Brian Lohan and his players after they beat Cork in the 2024 All-Ireland senior hurling final.
In total, Mr Casey, of Salvia Court, of Keyes Park, Southill, Limerick, is accused of 63 offences and was making his second appearance in court and on video-link from prison.
Mr Casey made his first appearance before court late on Sunday night at a special sitting where he was refused bail.
In evidence, Det Garda Aoife O’Malley told the bail hearing that Mr Casey, along with two of his associates, are suspected to be involved in burglaries and stealing high-value vehicles across the midwest region, with a combined estimated monetary value in excess of €1 million.
Det Garda O'Malley said that the Garda investigation commenced out of Ennis Garda Station last July and is investigating 92 separate alleged offences.
Det O’Malley said the alleged offences include 31 commercial burglaries, 24 residential burglaries and 27 unauthorised taking of vehicles between January 2024 and March 2025.
He said it will be alleged that the high-value vehicles were stolen to buy for another criminal network for financial gain.
Det O’Malley said the burglaries were “highly organised”.
The detective said Mr Casey, formerly of Castletroy, Limerick, could be facing “further more serious charges” as part of a Garda file prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Det O'Malley said that Mr Casey is accused of carrying out 27 burglaries across Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Galway.
Seventeen of the burglaries are alleged to have occurred in Clare and Mr Casey is alleged to committed seven burglaries on February 2nd, 2024 at Carry Out, Drumgeely, Shannon; Subway restaurant, Shannon; High Maintenance, Limerick Road, Ennis; Remix, Limerick Road, Ennis; Tech Station, Killaloe; The Washer Woman, Main Street, Ballina; and Corbally Centre, Corbally, Limerick.
Along with the alleged burglary of Wolfe Tones, Shannon on July 9th, 2024, Mr Casey is alleged to have committed burglaries on the same day at Day Break, Crusheen; News and Views, Bridge Street, Gort; Hair Symphony, Clarinbridge; Poppy Seed, Clarinbridge; Gala Chinese, Castle Street, Oranmore; and the Oran Tan Castle in Oranmore, Co Galway.
He is also charged with four other burglaries on one day on July 5th last year at Rogers Bar, Main Street, Scariff; the Electronic Store, Market Square, Scariff; Ponaire, Main Street, Adare; and Gadget Fix, Main Street, Adare.
Mr Casey is also charged with a burglary at a private house at tSean Dun, Tulla Road, Ennis on September 4th, 2024, and two homes at Clann Alainn, Hurlers Cross, Newmarket on Fergus on July 24th and September 2nd last year.
Mr Casey is also charged with burglaries at Star Court and The Salon, Ballycasey, Shannon last May and Maxol, Clarecastle on May 18th last year, and a home at Lansdowne Park, Ennis Road, Limerick on August 23rd last year.
Finally, Mr Casey is charged with the four unauthorised taking of vehicles that include two BMW X5, one Audi A6 and one Porsche Cayenne.
Sgt John Burke told the court on Wednesday that DPP directions are not yet available in the case.
Judge Alec Gabbett on Wednesday further remanded Mr Casey in custody to appear at Ennis District Court next Wednesday, April 23rd, via video link from Limerick prison.
