Posted online: Dec 7th, 2011

By Lauren Harte
editor

BALLYSHANNON District Court learned last Friday of the process of baking ‘cannabis cakes’ from the solicitor of a man who admitted trying to sell them at this year’s Rory Gallagher Festival.
Judge Kevin Kilrane was told that gardaí became suspicious when they observed a van at Portnason, Ballyshannon on June 5 this year, with its rear doors open. The defendant, Paraic Brannigan, was sitting in the front passenger seat and started shouting to his friends to close the van. After a search, the gardaí found 18 ‘cannabis cakes’ in the back.
The judge asked: “Who bakes these cakes and where can I get them from?”
Defence solicitor, Gerry McGovern informed the judge that a green leaf was put into the cake, which was then baked like a bun.
When asked by the judge: “Is this like a ring in a barm brack – do you have to keep chewing away until you find it?”, Mr McGovern replied:
“It’s like a flavour in the cake. The content is very low. You’d have to chew away for a long time to get high. You could not get anything out of it except enjoy it with a cup of tea.”
He added that the cakes had a total value of €60 and were being sold by his client for €4 each at the festival.
Brannigan, 35, of Claremont Park, Rahoon, Galway was charged with possession of drugs for sale or supply and of providing a false name and address to gardaí.
Inspector Denis Joyce said that the defendant had not come to the attention of gardaí before but noted that they had no knowledge of him whatsoever.
In evidence, the defendant said that he had previously worked in an orphanage in Mexico for eight years and wanted to pursue community work. He added that he had been doing a yoga course for the past 12 months.
Mr McGovern added: “He has never been in trouble before and has spent most of his life in voluntary work. He hasn’t drank for ten years and is a man of impeccable character. He came to the festival and did a stupid which he apologised to the gardaí for the next day.”
Judge Kilrane adjourned the case until January 6 next to allow the defendant an opportunity to produce his passport and verify his identity. “I’m not sure who we are dealing with here or if he is genuine,” the judge added.