Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 0479Pollution, discharging trade effluent without a licence · Co. Cork · 30 Jul 2025

Castlemartyr Resort convicted of polluting Kiltha river and killing 129 fish in Co Cork

Castlemartyr Resort, a five-star hotel with a two Michelin star restaurant in east Cork, discharged sewage into the Kiltha river on 30 July 2025, killing 129 fish. Brendan Comerford is listed as a suspect in the case. The general manager said a rotary switch had been switched off, causing an overflow from the pump house, and believed a third party was responsible. Judge Liz Healy at Midleton District Court convicted the hotel of three pollution offences, including discharging trade effluent without a licence, and fined it €10,000. The conviction was reported on 29 July 2026.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted29 Jul
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Castlemartyr Resort, a five-star hotel with a two Michelin star restaurant, discharged sewage into the Kiltha river, killing 129 fish.
Where
The discharge was from a pump house handling sewage into the Kiltha river on the resort's 89-hectare estate in east Cork.
When
The discharge occurred on 30 July 2025.
Cause
The general manager said a rotary switch had been switched off, causing an overflow, and believed a third party turned it off after opening the manhole cover.
Investigation
IFI officers found discoloured water, a grey discharge, and a bad odour at the site, and samples showed significantly higher readings of ammonia and bio-oxygen at the discharge site and downstream.
Charges
The hotel was charged with causing or permitting polluting matter to enter the river, permitting deleterious matter to fall into the river, and discharging trade effluent without a licence.
In court
Judge Liz Healy at Midleton District Court convicted the hotel of all three counts.
Sentence
The hotel was fined €10,000.
Other details
  • The hotel had previously held a discharge licence from Cork County Council and had applied to Uisce Éireann in 2021, which was still pending.
  • The hotel spent €16,000 on a prompt clean-up of the river.
  • The general manager had not reported the interference to An Garda Síochána.
18 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatCastlemartyr Resort is a five-star hotel with a two Michelin star restaurant (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe pollution spillage resulted in the deaths of more than 100 fish (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDead fish were found at the discharge site while upstream water was clear with healthy trout (irishtimes.com)
  • whatIFI fisheries officer James Condon counted 129 dead fish (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe discharge was from a pump house handling sewage into the Kiltha river (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe discharge occurred on 30 July 2025 (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe facilities manager said there was a problem with the pump house after work to connect it to a Uisce Éireann wastewater treatment plant (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe general manager said the operation was dependent on a rotary switch that had been switched off, causing an overflow and discharge (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe general manager believed a third party turned off the switch after opening the manhole cover (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationIFI senior environmental officer Andrew Gillespie found discoloured water, a grey discharge, and a bad odour at the site (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationSamples showed significantly higher readings of ammonia and bio-oxygen at the discharge site and downstream (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe hotel was charged with causing or permitting polluting matter to enter the river, permitting deleterious matter to fall into the river, and discharging trade effluent without a licence (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Liz Healy convicted the hotel of all three counts (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe hotel was fined €10,000 (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe general manager had not reported the interference to An Garda Síochána (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe resort previously had a discharge licence from Cork County Council and had applied to Uisce Éireann in 2021, which was pending (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe hotel had spent €16,000 on a prompt clean-up of the river (irishtimes.com)
  • otherAuthorities are investigating a separate fish kill in Co Cavan with more than 4,500 trout and other fish dead (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 29 Jul2026
    Convictedirishtimes.com, first report
    Five-star Castlemartyr Resort convicted of polluting river and killing more than 100 fish

    Reports the conviction and sentencing of Castlemartyr Resort at Midleton District Court for three pollution offences, including the evidence of IFI officers and the hotel's general manager, and mentions a separate ongoing fish kill investigation in Co Cavan.

    convicted, Brendan Comerford, namedBrendan Comerfordconvicted