Sligo man (44) on drugs charges says he has bail application pending in the High Court

By Nathan Molloy, The Sligo Champion

A 44-year-old man who has been further remanded in custody on drug charges says he has a bail application pending in the High Court as issues with his independent surety continue.

Patrick Irwin of Car­rowgub­bad­agh, Bal­lis­odare, Sligo is charged with the pos­ses­sion of one kilogram and nine grams of cocaine, and the pos­ses­sion of cocaine for the pur­pose of selling or sup­ply­ing it to another at Keadue West, Co. Roscom­mon on August 16, 2026.

The defend­ant was gran­ted bail with con­di­tions at a spe­cial sit­ting of Sligo Dis­trict Court on August 21 by Judge Ciaran Liddy but has been in custody since.

The judge had remanded him in cus­tody with con­sent to bail to Mullingar Dis­trict Court on August 24. Bail was set at €5,000 self with one inde­pend­ent surety of €30,000, of which €10,000 must be lodged in cash.

Bail was not approved in Mullingar nor subsequently at Ballyshannon District Court on August 26. Irwin was then further remanded in custody to Sligo District Court on September 3.

At that sitting, Detective Sergeant Brendan Bourke outlined that Ms Ann Boyd was the defendant’s nominated surety.

He added that the nominated surety had two AIB Bank Accounts of which one has a total of €48,558.44. On March 6, €40,000 was transferred into one account.

Sgt Bourke said that Ms Boyd told him that €38,000 of the transferred money was from a claim 12 years ago. Sgt Bourke asked Judge Éiteáin Cunningham for time to inspect the independent surety’s documents to prove that the funds were legitimate.

Judge Cunningham then remanded Irwin in custody with consent to bail to Monday, September 7.

However, Irwin’s independent surety was not present at that sitting due to her suffering a stroke three days previously. Judge Deirdre Gearty adjourned the case to September 17 in order to give Ms Boyd time.

At Thursday’s sitting, Irwin told Judge Cunningham that he did not have legal representation, but that he contacted Mulholland Law, and he had a bail application pending in the High Court.

Dt Sgt Bourke told the court that Ms Boyd was not present as her priority was her health at the moment.

Judge Cunningham remanded Irwin in custody to October 11. She told the defendant that if he was granted High Court bail in the intervening period, he would have to come to Sligo District Court himself.

Article funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.