Former Cork City manager Ger Nash smelled of alcohol when he crashed his car

Olivia Kelleher

A court has heard evidence from gardaí that former Cork City FC Manager Ger Nash was unsteady on his feet and smelled of alcohol when he crashed his car into signage near a bridge in Midleton, Co Cork, in November of last year.

Ger Nash, formerly of Fota Island, Co Cork and now living in Sweden, was subsequently charged with dangerous driving and drink driving on November 6th, 2025, in Midleton

Nash, who also previously played football for Ipswich Town in the UK, appeared before Midleton District Court today, having elected to contest the case.

Garda Jerome Maher told the court that he arrived at the scene near the Lakeview Roundabout shortly after 3am on November 6th, 2025. He noted that a car had crashed into signage.

Garda Maher said that he spoke to the driver of the vehicle, Ger Nash.

“There was a strong smell of alcohol from him, and his eyes were bloodshot.”

The garda said that he formed the opinion that Nash was intoxicated and incapable of driving a vehicle. He arrested him on suspicion of committing an offence.

An Evidenzer Test was conducted at Midleton Garda Station. Mr Nash was found to have 52 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. This is in excess of the legal limit.

Nash made no reply to gardaí when he was charged under caution. He was bailed to appear in court later that month

Garda Maher said that it was his belief that Nash drove straight through the roundabout, crashing into signage on the far side of the roundabout directly in front of a bridge. He noted the presence of tyre marks at the roundabout.

Garda Shay Dempsey said that when he arrived at the scene shortly after 3am on November 6th, 2025, Nash was “unsteady on his feet and swaying” when he spoke to him and that two passersby who stopped to assist at the scene were “effectively keeping him up.”

Garda Dempsey said that Nash told him that he was on his way to Cobh. He noted the smell of “intoxicating liquor” from his breath.

He said that his eyes were also bloodshot.

Witness Liam Murray was delivering school meals in the Carrigtwohill area of east Cork when he spotted a white car heading in the direction of Midleton.

He said that he was coming from the slip road onto the dual carriageway sometime after 230am when a white hatchback passed him in the overtaking lane.

He said when he got further up the road at "Minister's Hill", the same car was “going slow". He guessed that the vehicle was travelling at about 20 to 30 kilometres per hour.

Murray passed the white car in the right-hand lane. He said that further down the road at the turnoff to Midleton, the same white car passed him on the right-hand lane.

Murray said that the car was “going fast".

He said that the next time he saw the car was when it had crashed and hit signage near the Lakeview roundabout.

"He (the driver) went straight through up on top of the grass; there is a walkover bridge on the other side, and he hit the middle pillar."

Murray acknowledged that he didn't witness the crash but arrived on the scene seconds after it occurred.

He said that he parked his car and approached Nash, who was outside the car, to check on his welfare. He said that Nash asked if he knew the way to Fota and questioned whether it was "okay to park there."

Defence solicitor Graham Hyde asked Murray how he could be sure that the white car on the road was the same car that was involved in the accident.

Murray said that he saw no other cars on the road at that time of the morning.

Hyde said that there was no evidence that his client was driving dangerously on the night of the alleged offence.

He said that it was unsafe to convict Mr Nash on the evidence of a motorist who saw a white vehicle at various intervals.

He also said that the crash wasn’t witnessed by anyone.

The judge asked Mr Hyde to make written submissions on the case. Mr Nash was remanded on continuing bail until September 17th next.

Meanwhile, Nash stepped down from his role at Cork City FC in December of last year. The 39-year-old had been appointed to the role in May 2025.

He joined the club following a spell as assistant manager of GAIS in Sweden.

Prior to his move to Sweden, he held a number of coaching roles at Ipswich Town before working with the FAI and Aston Villa. He now works as an assistant coach at Swedish champions Mjallby, having taken up the role a week after he stepped down from his role in Leeside.