A Galway man with 243 previous convictions has been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing €17k from a Galway city centre pub.
Galway Circuit Criminal Court heard that Michael McDonagh (41) of Droim Chaoin Rahoon, Galway, pleaded guilty to the burglary at Cadell bar, 31 Woodquay, Galway on August 17, 2025.
The court heard that McDonagh has 243 previous convictions and has spent a large portion of his life in custody.
Passing sentence today/yesterday (Thursday), Judge Brian O’Callaghan said this man committed this offence knowing exactly what he was doing. He said there was significant damage to the injured party and the business, along with cash losses.
Judge O’Callaghan said he is accepting that McDonagh has shown remorse and means it. He noted that he cooperated once arrested and came forward on signed pleas from the District Court.
The judge said the aggravating factors were the impact on the business and staff, that this man fled the scene and his previous convictions. He said this man has had an appalling past conviction history and has had a criminal history for most of his young life
Judge O’Callaghan sentenced him to four years in prison, suspending the final 12 months for three years. He also placed McDonagh under the supervision of the Probation Services for 18 months and ordered that he stay away from the premises for five years post-release.
Sergeant John Kerrigan of Galway Garda Station told Geri Silke, BL, prosecuting, that gardai were notified when the owner of Cadell bar entered his office on the following day and noticed that there was a key in the safe. He opened the safe and found that the €17,000 that had been there the previous day was gone.
Gardai arrived at the scene and reviewed CCTV footage where a man later identified as McDonagh was seen the previous night entering the business via a rear door and entering the office where the safe was kept. A search warrant was obtained, and McDonagh’s home was searched.
Sgt Kerrigan told the court that over €7000 was found in McDonagh’s daughter’s room and €250 in a son’s room; both amounts of cash were concealed in socks in the bedroom drawers. Other small amounts of cash were found in other bedrooms throughout the house. €9000 was unaccounted for.
McDonagh was interviewed and made admissions to the gardai. When questioned about the missing € 9,000, he said he may have lost it while trying to get away. The court heard that McDonagh is known to the gardai as he has a chronic drug addiction, and they believe that this was a crime to feed this addiction.
Sgt Kerrigan agreed with Ernest White BL, defending, that when arrested, his client cooperated fully and identified himself on the CCTV footage.
The garda agreed with counsel that McDonagh had told gardai that he originally went into the back of the pub looking for alcohol and also left with two bottles of alcohol.
Sgt Kerrigan told the court that the €9,000 was not recovered but has been reimbursed to the business via insurance.
Mr White said his client was refused bail and has been in custody on this matter since his arrest. While in custody, he has engaged with the AA and NA, along with attending educational classes.
Counsel said McDonagh is motivated to get through his treatment and is looking to change his life.
Mr White handed clean urine analysis reports and a letter of apology into the court.
He asked the court to take into account his client’s signed guilty plea and asked the court to be as lenient as possible.