Rahill v Brady

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Judgment Date: 31 July 1971
• Date: 31 July 1971
• Docket Number: [1969. No. 123 SS.]
• Court: Supreme Court

(S.C.)

Rahill

and

Brady

Special event -Sales at livestock mart held twice weekly - Statute - Interpretation - Ordinary meaning of word -Appeal - Point of law - Question of law and fact - Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1962 (No. 21), s.11, sub-s. 1.

Thomas Brady was the holder, as nominee, of a licence for the sale of intoxicating liquor at an hotel in County Cavan. On application to the District Court he obtained an order authorising him to sell intoxicating liquor at a livestock mart, to which no licence was attached, in the town of Cavan on each Tuesday and Thursday in the month of April, 1969, when sales of cattle and pigs were to be held. The order was made pursuant to s. 11, sub-s. 1, of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1962, which enables a District Justice to make the order if he so thinks fit and if he is "satisfied that a special event" is to be held at premises to which no licence has been attached. Certain objectors were dissatisfied with the decision of the District Justice and they appealed by Case Stated to the High Court on the ground that the decision of the District Justice was erroneous on a "a point of law" because the bi-weekly sales in the livestock mart could not be special events within the meaning of s. 11 of the Act of 1962. The High Court (Butler J.) allowed the objectors' appeal and on further appeal by Brady it was Held. by the Supreme Court ( Ó Dálaigh C.J., Budd and FitzGerald JJ.), in affirming the order of the High Court. 1, that the...