Supermac's MD heading back to court over further 'banner' breaches

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Written by Administrator

Wednesday, 03 January 2007

One of the country's top sports sponsors is about to be hauled into court again - for displaying a banner outside one of his restaurants welcoming the Irish and Australian football teams to Galway.

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Pat McDonagh, Managing Director of Supermac's, is about to be prosecuted for putting a banner on the front of his Eyre Square premises welcoming the teams for the International Rules contest at Pearse Stadium in October.

He heads up the country's biggest group of family restaurants and has pumped hundreds of thousands into sport over the past decade and a half.

He has spent around a million euro over the past 15 years sponsoring Galway hurling teams. He also has a big interest in Gaelic football, rugby, soccer and a number of other sports.

But he has already found himself in hot water with the local authority in Galway because he flies the Galway flag and his company banner outside his headquarters on the outskirts of the city.

He was fined €1,000 in October after Galway District Court ruled that the flags required planning permission.

Mr McDonagh had argued that he flew the Galway, Connacht and Irish flags as well as his company flag outside his headquarters depending on whatever big game was coming up.

He is set to appeal the decision to Galway Circuit Court and it is likely that the appeal will be heard next month.

But now he has been issued with a further summons by Galway City Council arising from his displaying of a banner outside his Eyre Square outlet in Galway city centre.

The banner was erected to welcome both the Irish and Australian International Rules teams to Galway for the first of two games between the sides at Pearse Stadium in Salthill.

The colourful banner featured a fan's face painted in the national colours on either side of the welcome message.

Mr McDonagh is due to appear at Galway District Court on Wednesday 10 January to answer the local authority's summons alleging he had erected unauthorised signage without planning permission.

It is alleged that the signage was erected in contravention of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act of 1963 and in contravention of an enforcement notice issued under the Local Government (Planning and Development Act) of 2000.

Ironically, the alleged illegal signage was displayed on the front of the Supermac's outlet, which adjoins the Imperial Hotel.

That was the scene of another controversy surrounding the International Rules clash between Ireland and Australia.

Drunken Australian player, Brendan Favola received a Garda caution after swearing at a barman at the Imperial Hotel and grabbing him around the neck during a night on the town with team-mates just 24 hours after the first test in Salthill.

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