Longford dad supplying drugs claimed €27,000 cash was 'mother-in-law's and for headstone'

A Longford man who was detected by Gardaí with drugs valued at €2,500 and almost €28,000 in cash at his home has been convicted for drug dealing and money-laundering offences and jailed for 15-months.

Martin McDonagh (37) from Congress Terrace in Longford town pleaded guilty at Longford Circuit Court to being in possession of drugs, the sale or supply of drugs and money laundering on October 4, 2022.

Gardaí obtained a warrant and carried out a planned search of his home on the date in question and Judge Jonathan Dunphy stated when they entered the premises they were not scouring the residence for drugs.

"Their initial suspicion granting the search was that they would recover unlawful fireworks.

"Upon entering the property and making their way into the kitchen they met with the defendant Mr McDonagh.

"He walked into the kitchen with a glass jar in his hands, which he attempted to conceal behind his back and there was also a bag of cannabis on the kitchen table.

"There was a young child in the sitting room on the couch."

Judge Dunphy said the defendant handed over the jar which contained suspected cocaine after being directed to do so and he was told by Gardaí to sit down at the kitchen table.

Mr McDonagh was subsequently cautioned by officers and he accepted ownership of the two items, which he said were for his personal use only.

Judge Dunphy said the value of the bag of cannabis on the kitchen table was approximately €100, while the cocaine in the jar had an estimated street value of between €200 and €300.

"The two items were seized and a more comprehensive search of the property was carried out where a set of weighing scales with cannabis residue on it were recovered from the kitchen counter."

Judge Dunphy said the defendant stated he used the scales to check the weight of the cannabis that he had bought for himself.

"In close proximity to the scales was an envelope with €1,130 in cash, which was also seized, which the defendant later in interview made out was a deposit for a gravestone feature."

Judge Dunphy stated the drugs were analysed at the Gardaí’s Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) laboratory the cocaine was found to be valued at €2,262, while the cannabis had a street value of €335 with the total value of the drugs worth €2,597.

He said during the search a sum of €27,703 was found in a plastic zip locked pouch on the bedroom door.

The court heard gardaí arrested and interviewed the defendant at the garda station and he accepted ownership of the drugs.

The defendant admitted from the outset they were his drugs, but he initially denied they were for sale and supply.

Mr McDonagh pleaded guilty to the possession of drugs, the possession of drugs for sale and supply, and money-laundering in May 2025.

The defendant stated the majority of the money was his mother-in-law's - and the rest was a deposit for a gravestone.

The defendant had 13 previous convictions.

Defence barrister Michael O'Higgins said his client, a married father of four, grew up in Balbriggan, Dublin and left school when he was aged between 12 and 14 and he is unable to read or write.

The court heard Mr McDonagh, who moved to Longford several years ago, lives in a two-bedroom council house and he is in a very stable relationship with a strong wife who grew up in Longford.

Judge Dunphy heard the defendant has a history of substance abuse and health difficulties.

"I'd ask the court to extend as much leniency as possible," Mr O'Higgins added.

Judge Dunphy said the offence was at the higher end of the lower end of the scale.

He noted the gravity of the offence and he considered all of the mitigation before handing down his sentence and jailing the defendant for two years, however, he suspended the final nine months for two years on strict conditions that Mr McDonagh engages with the Probation Service and is of good behaviour.

READ NEXT: Number of rental houses available in county Longford plummets to new low

READ NEXT: Longford County Council urges use of parking permits to make substantial savings