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. 0192Possession of drugs for sale or supply · Co. Dublin · 16 Jan 2022

James Hoolahan given suspended sentence for bagging €31,000 drugs in Blanchardstown

James Hoolahan, an 18-year-old man, was caught bagging about €31,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis in a Blanchardstown apartment in January 2022. He was one of seven young men present when gardaí raided the apartment but was the only one charged. He pleaded guilty to one count of possessing drugs for sale or supply at Rose Court, Blanchardstown on 16 January 2022. In October 2026, Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to three years, suspended in full on conditions, noting he had no previous convictions and no negative garda attention in the four years since the offence.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced7 Oct
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • James Hoolahan was caught bagging about €31,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis in a Dublin apartment in January 2022.
  • He was one of seven young men present in the Blanchardstown apartment when it was raided by gardaí and was the only one charged.
  • He was sitting at a table with another teenager bagging up the drugs while the other young men sat on couches.
Where
The apartment was in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, and Hoolahan lives at Fort Lawn Avenue, Blanchardstown.
When
The offence occurred in January 2022 and Hoolahan was 18 years and three months at the time.
Investigation
Hoolahan made admissions to gardaí at the scene.
Charges
He pleaded guilty to one count of possessing drugs for sale or supply at Rose Court, Blanchardstown on 16 January 2022.
In court
Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court noted a substantial amount of drugs was involved.
Sentence
The judge set a three-year sentence suspended in full on a number of conditions.
Other details
  • The juvenile who was also bagging up was dealt with via the juvenile diversion programme and none of the other young men were charged.
  • Hoolahan had no previous convictions, did not own the drugs, and had not come to negative garda attention in the four years since the offence.
17 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatHoolahan was caught bagging over €30,000 worth of drugs in a Dublin apartment when he was a teenager four years ago (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe was one of seven young men present in the Blanchardstown apartment when it was raided by gardaí in January 2022 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe was the only one of the seven charged (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe was sitting at the table with another teenager bagging up about €31,000 of cocaine and cannabis (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe other young men were sitting around on couches (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatNone of the other young men were charged (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe was 18 years and three months at the time of the offence (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereHoolahan lives at Fort Lawn Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationHoolahan made admissions to gardaí at the scene (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe pleaded guilty to one count of possessing drugs for sale or supply at Rose Court, Blanchardstown on January 16, 2022 (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtJudge Martin Nolan noted a substantial amount of drugs was involved (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge set a sentence of three years which he suspended in full on a number of conditions (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe juvenile who was also bagging up was dealt with via the juvenile diversion programme (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe has no previous convictions (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe has not come to negative garda attention in the four years since the offence (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe did not own the drugs (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe does not have any trappings of wealth (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 7 Oct2026
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Caught at a table bagging €30k drugs - no jail for Dubliner nabbed as a teen

    Reports the sentencing of James Hoolahan to a three-year suspended sentence for bagging drugs as an 18-year-old in January 2022, noting he was the only one of seven young men charged and had no previous convictions.

    convicted, James Hoolahan, 22, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Hoolahan