Man jailed for role in attacks on off-duty gardaí and others in Cork city centre 

Cowardly attacks on two gardaí, a junior doctor and late-night workers who were significantly outnumbered in the assaults resulted in one of the attackers being jailed for two years and two months for his part in the violence.

Badges identifying two victims as off-duty members of An Garda Síochána were shown to the attackers in one incident but this did nothing to stop the violent attacks.

Judge Helen Boyle said the off-duty gardaí should not have been attacked in the first place but that it he should certainly have stopped when they showed their garda IDs.

24-year-old Paul McDonagh of Father O’Flynn Place, Ballymacthomas, off Cathedral Road, Cork, pleaded guilty to his part in the incidents, admitting violent disorder, assault causing harm, robbery and attempted robbery.

Judge Boyle was concerned that he was penalised only months beforehand for similar offences in the district court but that this did not deter him from acting in the way that he did. Judge Boyle said to the accused that he needed to give up drinking as it was making him a violent person.

The violent incidents occurred in Cork city on different dates in October 2021.

After 2am on October 23 2021 two off-duty gardaí were set upon by eleven youths. They were punched and kicked and violently set upon. One of them had his garda ID and phone taken from him. Attempts were made to rob the second off-duty garda of his badge also.

Moments earlier, staff at a licensed premises were walking home on St. Augustine Street, Cork, after 2am on October 16 2021. The defendant was part of a group of seven who attacked the four young men.

In a third incident a junior doctor was attacked by a teenager as he walked home after work during the Jazz weekend in Cork and was chased by a large group of teenagers who attacked the doctor’s housemates who came out of their house to assist him.

This occurred on October 23 2021 at Mardyke Walk, Cork. Garda Pat Dilworth said the doctor was walking home after midnight when he was confronted by two people in the group and assaulted, cut over the eye and then chased by the larger group.

“When he got to the house, people came out of the house to his aid. The group then set upon the five junior doctors,” Garda Dilworth said.

Defence senior counsel Elizabeth O’Connell said, “He wants to apologise for these assaults and