Berger Stein Races

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Niall R.

November 26, 2024

Good place for a Dust Up Man (70) who attacked yacht club member is spared jail Billiards row led to assault ISABEL HAYES A man has avoided being jailed for punching a fellow yacht club member, leaving him with a fractured eye socket, after he felt his refereeing skills in a billiards game were being belittled. Steven Gillman (70) had €15,000 in court as a token of his remorse for the victim in the case, whom he assaulted during a billiards tournament at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, in September of last year. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Gillman "saw red” and set upon the other man - who is also 70 - punching him repeatedly to the face and twice more after the victim had fallen to the ground. ​ The victim suffered a fractured eye socket and a dislocated eye lens as a result of the attack and required extensive and ongoing medical care, the court heard. He continues to suffer with double vision and tinnitus and his sailing and golfing hobbies have been curtailed. Gillman, of Castlepark, Monkstown, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to the club member at the yacht club at Harbour Road on September 29 last year. He has no previous convictions and was described by defence counsel as a "model citizen”. He has since resigned from the yacht club, which was a "significant part of his social life,” Marc Murphy, defending, said. Sentencing Gillman yesterday, Judge Elma Sheahan said this was a serious assault that had had a profound effect on the victim. She noted Gillman had been assessed as being at a low risk of re-offending, had a pro-social outlook and came from a stable family environment. She said his remorse was genuine. Judge Sheahan set a headline sentence of three years, which she reduced to two years. She suspended the sentence in its entirety on a number of conditions. In a victim-impact statement, previously read out by prosecuting counsel, the victim in the case said that for the rest of his life he would never forget the "manic” look in Gillman's eyes as he punched him. "I am grateful to be alive, but the scars - seen and unseen - will remain for ever,” he said. He said he had suffered permanent sight damage as a result of the assault and required surgery. "The psychological toll has been immense,” he said, adding he is now anxious, that his social life has dropped and that he no longer enjoys playing snooker. He said the assault had affected his personal relationships and his reputation in the yacht club, which was his main social outlet. He said he was shocked to be the victim of an assault at the age of 70 "in my yacht club by another member”. The court heard that Gillman was interviewed by gardaí after the man reported the incident. ​He told gardaí he felt the man was making "snide” comments about his ability to referee the billiards game during the tournament and that he felt uncomfortable and anxious as a result. He said that he asked the man to apologise after the game, but the man refused. Gillman, who runs his own educational software company, said he "saw red” and punched him. Gillman was extremely remorseful for his actions, defence counsel said. "He knows he made a complete fool of himself,” Mr Murphy told the court.

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Michele L.

March 26, 2024

I recently went in to the Royal st George yacht club in Dun Laoghaire, by accident, I thought my nephew's wedding was here, so I sat had a drink and talked with the lovely staff. When my husband returned we realised we were in the wrong place. The lovely lady in reception rang the other yacht clubs to find out where we should have been. How kind she was and how gratefull we were this is in the last 2 weeks

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Phillip H.

August 10, 2023

We attended my nephews wedding here last week the staff were amazing 👏 Brian the head barman was a absolute gentleman it's a great wedding venue highly recommended 👍the kitchen staff looked after 160 guests brilliantly. fabulous service and great food .Philip hannigan