Fine for woman who assaulted female bartender and threw chair at Donegal pub window

A woman who assaulted a female bartender who refused to serve her has avoided jail after paying compensation and writing a letter of apology.

She has however been convicted at Ballyshannon District Court of the offence of assault causing harm, and has been fined €750.

The defendant also threw a chair at the bar window causing damage, and urinated in public after removing a tampon and throwing it onto the street

Lisa Kennedy, Clooncarreen, Bornacoola, Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim was before a recent sitting of Ballyshannon District Court. She had previously admitted assaulting a female and causing her harm at The Mighty Fiddler bar, Main Street, Bundoran, on June 19, 2022, and with causing criminal damage to a glass window of the premises. 

She also pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour and with being intoxicated to the extent of being a danger to herself or others at Main Street, Bundoran on the same date. 

The case was before the court in October 2024, and again in September 2025 when it was adjourned to allow the defendant to pay compensation and to issue a formal apology. The recent sitting of Ballyshannon District Court heard that this had been done. 

When the case was heard in October 2024, Inspector Sean McDaid told the court that gardaí responded to a report of a dispute between a couple. On arrival, Kennedy denied any dispute.

“The garda was informed that the female had pulled a tampon from her privates and publicly discarded it on the street, and urinated on the street,” said the inspector.

“A bartender said she had been assaulted when she refused to serve her because she was intoxicated.  The defendant threw a chair at the bar window.”

The court heard that Kennedy hit the victim on her left eye.

“The lady was feeling pain on the left side of her face,” outlined Inspector McDaid. “A contact lens was knocked out from her eye. She found the contact lens on her cheek. 

“At that stage Ms Kennedy was removed from the bar by other patrons.”

The defendant was represented on that occasion by solicitor Frank Murphy who said his client was a mother of five.

“She doesn’t get out often,” he said. “She doesn’t recall most of it happening. There was an altercation with the bar person, and there was an altercation with another person where she was rendered unconscious.

“She is simply a person who doesn’t indulge in alcohol too often.”

The matter was adjourned on that occasion for a victim impact statement, and to establish the value of the damage to the window.

It came before Judge Ciaran Liddy in September 2025, when the defendant was represented by solicitor Rory O’Brien.

The solicitor said: “The matter has caused undeniable hardship for the injured party, and Ms Kennedy has asked me to convey her wholesome apology.

“Ms Kennedy is a lady who is herself unwell at the moment. This incident occurred after a significant amount of alcohol.

“It is no excuse, but she has no recollection of it. She was intoxicated to a very high level.”

Judge Liddy adjourned the case on that occasion to allow for compensation to be paid to the injured party. 

At the most recent court sitting, Mr O’Brien said the money had been paid as directed, and a letter of apology written to the injured party. 

Judge Liddy expressed his concern that a person working in a public house was the victim of such behaviour. 

“It would merit a custodial sentence usually,” he said. 

However, the judge acknowledged that the defendant had no previous convictions, had entered a plea of guilty, written a letter of apology, and offered compensation which had been accepted.

Stressing the seriousness of the matter, Judge Liddy imposed a conviction and fine of €750, with the other charges taken into consideration.