Dublin GAA star Lee Gannon dodges drugs charge after being caught with MDMA

All-Ireland winner pays €300 to court poor box after being caught with Ecstasy at Electric Picnic

Lee Gannon lifts the Sam Maguire in 2023, and (right) the Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Co Laois

Dublin senior football star Lee Gannon paid €300 to a court poor box in exchange for having a charge of possessing MDMA at Electric Picnic struck out.

Gannon (25) was one of dozens of attendees who received a court summons after being searched by gardai during the three-day festival in Stradbally, Co Laois, last August.

He faced a single charge of possessing a small quantity of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) commonly known as ‘Ecstasy,’ on August 18, 2024, when he appeared before Portlaoise District Court on Tuesday.

The offence relates to a person who is in possession of a controlled drug for their own personal use and generally relates to smaller amounts of contraband.

James McCarthy, Stephen Cluxton and Michael Fitzsimons celebrate winning the All Ireland with Lee Gannon in 2023

Gannon, who appeared in court under his Irish name ‘Laoi Mag Fhionnaith’ and with no previous convictions, agreed to make a €300 payment to the court poor box and the charge was struck out.

The 25-year-old, who plays his club football for Whitehall Colmcille, lines out as a corner back for the Dublin senior football team.

A rising star in Dessie Farrell’s side, Gannon has one All-Ireland medal to his name and has won four Leinster titles with the county.

He began his career as a dual player, lining out for the Dubs at underage level in both hurling and football.

After being drafted into the senior football squad by Dessie Farrell, Gannon enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2022 and later spoke of his decision to turn his attention away from hurling.

“I joined the senior hurlers to begin with because of my love of the game and I still have a love of hurling. We just won a Senior 2 [title] with Whitehall which fills me with pride so the love is there for the game and it’s not due to the footballers winning over the past few years [that he has chosen to play for them].

Lee Gannon with the Sam Maguire cup

“I have no doubt the hurlers will succeed as well. It’s just where I am at the moment in my own life and what’s going on.”

In 2022, Gannon was nominated for the GAA/GPA Young Player of the Year and an All-Star Award and brought his mother along to the glitzy ceremony in Dublin’s Convention Centre.

“It was a bit mad, to be fair. I got a text off my mam to say I had been nominated and I was a bit like, ‘Ah, I don’t really deserve that’,” Gannon later said of his nomination.

“It was really nice at the same time. Yeah, my mam and dad had a great time with that as well.”

Gannon is currently listed as injured, having suffered a fresh setback during Dublin’s Round 3 defeat of Kerry in the league.

Having missed almost all of 2024 with a hamstring injury, Gannon made his return for the Dubs in Killarney as a halftime substitute for Greg McEneaney.

He lasted less than half an hour before being forced off injured again.

Dublin manager Dessie Farrell afterwards didn’t go into specifics about the extent of Gannon’s injury but the most optimistic prognosis is that the player could return to the panel “at the back end of this season”.

The Sunday World emailed Dublin GAA on Friday seeking comment on Gannon’s court appearance.

Dublin GAA did not respond.

The Electric Picnic in Stradbally

First-time offenders charged with drug offences at Electric Picnic are routinely offered the opportunity to make a donation to the court poor box in exchange for having their charge struck out.

In 2023, drug offenders caught at Electric Picnic donated around €100,000 to charity to avoid convictions.

That figure was revealed by Judge Andrew Cody at a sitting of Portlaoise District Court in July last year.

Courts directing that money be paid into a poor box instead of, or in conjunction with, another penalty is a practice which pre-dates the foundation of the State.

Speaking at the announcement of the court poor box donations for 2024, Judge Cody said the amount available for distribution in District 15, which covers Laois and Offaly, was significantly higher than other districts as it was boosted by donations arising from prosecutions for drug offences during the Electric Picnic Festival.

Lee is currently out with a hamstring injury

“Most regular attendees at the District Court will be familiar with the basic concept of the court poor box system: a person who has been charged with a minor criminal offence, usually a first-time offender, may be given one chance to avoid a criminal record by making a contribution to charity through the court poor box,” he said.

“There are many reasons such as the offences on the more minor side of the scale, the accused may never previously have been before the courts, the accused may have pleaded guilty, a conviction might be inappropriate, or might adversely affect employment, career or working abroad prospects.

“Typical cases where the court poor box is used include first time possession of a small amount of drugs, particularly cannabis or cocaine, breaches of the peace, intoxication, or disorderly conduct in a public place, threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in a public place, or failing to comply with a direction from An Garda Síochána, or minor assaults, and payments to the court poor box are generally less than €500 in each case.”

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