Limerick hurler Kyle Hayes deemed suitable for community service instead of jail time

Kyle Hayes’s availability for the Limerick senior hurling team this season was given a boost, after a court heard he has been deemed suitable for 180 hours of community service instead of three months in jail after he breached the terms of a two-year suspended sentence for violent disorder.

Hayes (26), of Ballyahsea, Kildimo, Co Limerick, appeared before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court on Monday as part of “Section 99 Re-entry” proceedings.

The hearing was triggered after Hayes engaged in dangerous driving at Mallow, Co Cork, four months into a two-year suspended sentence that was imposed on him in March 2024, after a jury convicted him of committing violent disorder at the Icon nightclub, Limerick, on October 28th, 2019.

On July 14th, 2024, Hayes was recorded by a Garda overtaking nine cars in a row on a stretch of the N20 Cork-Limerick dual carriageway, while driving 55kph above the 100kph speed limit.

Hayes subsequently lost an appeal against the driving conviction on March 12th, for which he was given a two-year driving ban and fined €250.

On Monday, Hayes’ barrister Brian McInerney told Judge Colin Daly that Hayes had fully engaged with the Probation Service after the court had requested the service report on his suitability for community service in lieu of the court activating three months of the hurler’s two-year suspended sentence for violent disorder.

Mr McInerney said the service had deemed Hayes suitable for work in the community, but he did not disclose what type of work the hurler would take on.

Judge Daly adjourned the matter to May 19th for the community service order to be finalised by Judge Dara Hayes, who had heard the matter previously.

Judge Hayes told a hearing of the Section 99 matter last month