Court row over alleged infertile bull case struck out

 Gordan Deegan 4 hrs ago

A row over an alleged ‘infertile bull’ between two north Clare landowners has been struck out in court.

The hearing of the case had been delayed a number of months due to Covid 19 restrictions on court business and when the case came up for mention at Ennis District Court to arrange a date for hearing, solicitor for north Clare, man, Noel Considine, Shiofra Hassett told Judge Patrick Durcan that the case could be struck out with no order.

In the alleged breach of contract case, Mark O’Rourke of Ballyea, Ennistymon was suing Noel Considine of Ballyconnone, Lisdoonvarna concerning the alleged infertile bull.

Previously, solicitor for Mr Considine, Daragh Hassett told Judge Durcan that he was well qualified to hear a contested ‘infertile bull’ case as he has an understanding of the birds and bees and how cattle operate.

Last May at Ennis District Court, Mr Hassett told Judge Durcan that “the case can’t be settled and is a runner”.

Mr Hassett told Judge Durcan that “it is a “crush” case and the plaintiff alleged that the bull is infertile”.

A “crush” case is where a cow gets put into a cattle crush and is artificially inseminated (A.I.).

There were to be six witnesses in the case and the case was expected to take half a day

Mr Hassett told Judge Durcan that he would be well qualified to hear the case when it goes to hearing.

In response, Judge Durcan said to Mr Hassett: “I don’t know quite what you mean by that.”

In reply, Mr Hassett told the Co Mayo native: “Judge, you come from a rural background. You have an understanding as to the birds and the bees and cattle and how they operate.”

Judge Durcan stated that a vet had previously informed him of a fertility method for cattle that was “effective, but not obvious”.

After being told the nature of the case at a previous court hearing, Judge Durcan quipped “by the time I will have heard everything on this, I will be saying a lot of bull”.