A fireman with Kerry County Council has been convicted of criminal damage by arson after he set fire to gorse land off the main Ring of Kerry road last year.
David Ahern was one of a crew of nine who then attended the scene to put out the blaze on 13 April 2020, the District Court sitting in Cahersiveen was told.
Around 1.5 acres of State-owned land was burnt, the court heard.
The 36-year-old, of St James Gardens, Killorglin, had pleaded not guilty to committing arson by damaging by fire property, namely gorseland, at Cromane Upper, Killorglin.
He had also denied that he dishonestly, by deception, induced the Fire Service of Kerry County Council to pay him €151.04 for attending the fire to make a gain for himself.
The charge of making a gain by deception was dismissed after an application by Ahern's solicitor.
The hearing involved a number of witnesses, recordings of emergency calls and stills from a CCTV camera attached to a private house.
The case was adjourned by Judge David Waters to 13 January for sentence.
