Hi °C | Lo °C THE former chairman of the World Bodhran Championships has been ordered by a judge not to get involved in any voluntary organisation, in any capacity, until he turns 60.
Daniel Cronin (47) gave a sworn undertaking that he would not join any groups for the next 13 years, following his conviction on 27 fraud charges at Killorglin District Court.
He was also sent forward to the next sitting of Tralee Circuit Court on 29 forgery charges and five counts of theft.
Cronin, of Kilcolman, Co Kerry, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for each of the offences, to run concurrently, relating to the 27 charges before the district court.
However, Judge James O'Connor suspended the jail term and bound him to the peace for two years.
The charges relate to nine cheques for €12,000 from a chequebook that belonged to his former employer, William O'Shea, to offset debts incurred by the now defunct festival.
A previous court sitting heard Cronin had not gained personally from the fraud but had used the cheques to write off debts while he was at the festival's helm.
His solicitor, Padraig O'Connell, said it was "almost double jeopardy" that his client was facing "two different regimes of justice" in the district and circuit courts.
"He's a broken man," he said, adding that Cronin had lost his job of 22 years as a delivery man.
Cronin had previously spent two weeks in prison relating to the district court charges.
The court heard his five siblings had paid back any debts on his behalf. Judge O'Connor ordered him to make a €3,000 contribution to the poor box.
Irish Independent
