St. Patrick be damned: snakes now on menu in Keady, Northern Ireland

It’s funny what makes the news. One minute you’re indulging in some perfectly normal, common-or-garden domestic violence in a small Northern Irish village. You make the mistake of involving a reptile, and bang, the Miami Herald knows all about it.

Shane Cooke, a 33-year-old bricklayer, was arraigned in Belfast High Court on charges of assaulting his girlfriend, Coleen McGleenon, and fatally torturing her royal python Aug. 4.

McGleenon’s lawyers said he headbutted her twice and picked up her pet, put it in his mouth, and threw its severed head at her. “Your snake tasted lovely,” he was quoted as saying.

Oddly enough, the village of Keady was the location for the 1996 movie The Eliminator, which featured St. Patrick as a character, and one of the best damn car chases I’ve ever seen.
Miami Herald: Man bites girlfriend’s snake, court told »
Thanks to “Bill” for writing to us about this story

daev

Chief Bottle Washer at Blather

Writer, photographer, environmental campaigner and "known troublemaker" Dave Walsh is the founder of Blather.net, described both as "possibly the most arrogant and depraved website to be found either side of the majestic Shannon River", and "the nicest website circulating in Ireland". Half Irishman, half-bicycle. He lives in southern Irish city of Barcelona.