First jail sentence issued in Ireland for music piracy

Reflecting on the six month sentence that was handed down to him at Carrick On Shannon District Court, the Irish Recorded Music Association Director General, Dick Doyle, said: “This sends out a strong warning sign to anyone involved in illegal counterfeiting and CD selling. It is stealing from people who make a livelihood from music.
"We will do everything in our power to seek out and prosecute anyone involved in any form of unlawful music practice. This is the first prison sentence that has been imposed and we intend that it will not be the last.”
McDonagh was caught on Sunday November 26 at Drishogue Market with 226 counterfeit music CDs and a large quantity of DVDs.
In addition to his prison stay, he was fined €1,000 and made to pay all costs.
The jailing of McDonagh comes just a month after IRMA and their British Phonographic Industry counterparts were instrumental in CD WOW being fined €61 million for illegally importing CDs and DVDs from outside the EU.