Friday 30 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. 16552Possession of drugs for sale or supply; possession of drugs · Co. Donegal · 5 Jun 2022

Man's drugs case adjourned after Rory Gallagher Festival tent find, Ballyshannon

Niall O'Mianain, a 31-year-old man, was arrested after he led undercover gardaí to a tent at the Rory Gallagher Festival in Ballyshannon, where officers found drugs including cocaine, ketamine, LSD, MDMA and 2C-B worth a total of €2,537. The incident took place on June 5, 2022, at Carrickboy, Ballyshannon, and he was charged with possession of drugs for sale or supply and possession of drugs. In July 2024, at Ballyshannon District Court before Judge Ciaran Liddy, he pleaded guilty to two sample counts relating to €819 of cocaine, on a full facts basis. The case was adjourned until February 7, 2025, when a Probation of Offenders Act outcome that avoids a conviction is possible if he stays out of adverse garda attention.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court20 Jul
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Niall O'Mianain allegedly offered illegal drugs to undercover gardaí posing as revellers at the festival.
  • Drugs including cocaine, ketamine, LSD, MDMA and 2C-B were found, with a total value of €2,537.
Where
The incident took place at the Rory Gallagher Festival in Ballyshannon, at Carrickboy, Ballyshannon, County Donegal.
When
The incident happened on June 5, 2022.
Investigation
  • O'Mianain allegedly led officers to a tent where they found a bumbag containing an assortment of drugs.
  • O'Mianain was arrested and detained by gardaí.
Other details
  • The suspect is described as a 31-year-old man; sources give his address as Great James Street, Derry, while the headline describes him as a South Donegal man.
  • O'Mianain told gardaí that his phone was dead and that his modus operandi was just meeting people; he has no previous convictions in this jurisdiction.
Charges
  • O'Mianain was charged with possession of drugs for sale or supply and possession of drugs.
  • He pleaded guilty to two sample counts relating to €819 worth of cocaine, on a full facts basis, as the DPP directed a plea could be accepted in the District Court.
In court
  • The case was heard at Ballyshannon District Court before Judge Ciaran Liddy in July 2024.
  • The judge adjourned the case until February 7, 2025.
Sentence
  • If O'Mianain stays out of adverse garda attention, the judge would apply the Probation of Offenders Act, so he would avoid a conviction.
  • If he comes to adverse garda attention in the interim, he would be convicted on both charges, with fines of €1,500 for possession for sale or supply and €200 for possession.
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatO'Mianain offered illegal drugs to undercover gardaí at the festival. (donegallive.ie)
  • whatDrugs including cocaine, ketamine, LSD, MDMA and 2C-B were found with a total value of €2,537. (donegallive.ie)
  • whereThe incident took place at the Rory Gallagher Festival in Ballyshannon. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenThe incident happened on June 5, 2022, at Carrickboy, Ballyshannon. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationO'Mianain led officers to a tent where they found a bumbag containing an assortment of drugs. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationO'Mianain was arrested and detained by gardaí. (donegallive.ie)
  • chargeThe sample counts O'Mianain pleaded guilty to related to €819 worth of cocaine. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard at Ballyshannon District Court before Judge Ciaran Liddy. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtThe DPP directed that a plea could be accepted in the District Court to two sample counts on a full facts basis. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtThe judge adjourned the case until February 7, 2025. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceIf O'Mianain stayed out of adverse garda attention, the judge would apply the Probation of Offenders Act, so he would avoid a conviction. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceIf O'Mianain came to adverse attention in the interim, he would be convicted on both charges, with fines of €1,500 for possession for sale or supply and €200 for possession. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherO'Mianain told gardaí that his phone was dead and that his modus operandi was just meeting people. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherO'Mianain has no previous convictions in this jurisdiction. (donegallive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 20 Jul2024
    In courtdonegallive.ie, first report
    Man took undercover cops to €2,500 drugs cache at Rory Gallagher Festival

    Court report on the plea hearing: O'Mianain pleaded guilty to two sample counts; the case was adjourned to 7 February 2025 with a possible Probation of Offenders Act outcome. No existing case in the list matches this incident.

    accused, Niall O'Mianain, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall O'Mianain