ORGANISERS of this year’s Kinsale 7s rugby tournament have been directed by a district court judge to put up posters at the club grounds and in the town, warning young people of the consequences of drugs possession.
Judge James McNulty produced prototype posters of what he has in mind, when dealing with the licence application for the annual rugby event at Bandon District Court last week.
The event, which takes place over the May bank holiday weekend, beginning on April 29th has, in recent years, seen scores of young people prosecuted in the district court for drug offences, something which Judge McNulty has expressed serious concern about. It was last held in 2019, due to the pandemic.
In granting the licence, Judge McNulty said he was adding a special condition and asking the organisers and sponsors of the Kinsale 7s to assist the court with some signage.
‘It’s all part of the ABC – awareness, boundaries and consequences,’ said Judge McNulty.
‘We are not dealing with children but young adults, and they need to be aware of the boundaries and consequences. Given the history of offending in and around this event, primarily the misuse of drugs, the court wishes to heighten awareness of the law as it is.’
Judge McNulty produced in court some prototype signs which were shown to both the prosecution and solicitor Tony Greenway.
He said he hoped they would deter young adults from ‘irresponsible drug use’ which he had previously said, ‘makes millionaires out of thugs.’
‘I want these posters with the public order messages to be prominently displayed in and around the event and maybe the gardaí could also display similar posters in and around the town centre.’
Judge McNulty said he wants the organisers to pay for the printing costs of the posters, something which Mr Greenway said they were willing to do. He added that his clients also have organised a thorough clean-up around Kinsale on the Monday after the bank holiday weekend.
