Cork postman died in his front garden from 'catastrophic injuries', murder trial is told

A 44-year-old postman died in his front garden in Doneraile after catastrophic golf club injuries to his face and head and today three young people aged 20, 17 and 16, went on trial by judge and jury for murder.

“We say the three accused were acting as a team,” prosecution senior counsel Lorcan Staines said in his opening speech in the case at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

20-year-old Alex Deady of Glenview, Convent Road, Doneraile, and two juveniles, aged 16 and 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before the Central Criminal Court for their trial on the charge of murdering Barry Daly at Rockview Terrace in Doneraile on October 12 2025. 

Alex Deady and the 17-year-old pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The 16-year-old simply pleaded not guilty to murder. The ages relate to the date of the incident.

Mr Staines said there was some altercation in the town earlier, following sports celebrations, and that while the details of this were disputed between various witnesses, the case was not about this disputed incident, but about what happened afterwards outside the home of the deceased.

The prosecution senior counsel said: “There was plenty of opportunity to say, no, this has gone too far. There was a golf club taken away yet there was another golf club taken, another person intervened, there was a walk to the house, there is an opportunity to re-think.

“We say they went there together to cause – at a minimum – serious injury. We say what happened was murder.

“They effectively moved together, arrived together, used weapons of the same kind together, engaged to go to that place together, left together, discarded weapons together and remained in each other’s company after, even though they knew what happened.” 

Addressing the jury of seven women and five men, Mr Staines said that his outline at the beginning of the trial was sometimes called an outline of the facts, but he said this was a misnomer as only the jury could determine them to be facts.

“The deceased died in the early hours of October 12 2025. On the day before, there was a big GAA match and the local team won the Junior B Final and there was a huge celebration. Doneraile, north east of Mallow, has a population of less than 1,000 people and it is the sort of place where most people know most people. 

"Most of the town was out celebrating this GAA victory... Many people had a large amount of alcohol.” 

Mr Staines said that during an altercation between young people there was conflicting evidence about Barry Daly punching Alex Deady’s girlfriend or intervening to break up an altercation and accidentally punching her.

“But none of this matters. The case is about something that happened much later. It does not matter who punched who. It only matters about context,” Mr Staines said.

The two male teenage defendants heard about the disputed incident on Main Street and arrived afterwards.

“Barry Daly … left to go back to his own house. Many people were seeking to calm down Alex Deady. He was incensed. He was of the view that his girlfriend was intentionally punched by the deceased Barry Daly. He obtained a golf club and had a golf club taken off him by a Good Samaritan.

“He (and the two teenagers) armed themselves with golf clubs. They moved in the direction of Barry Daly’s home. As they were going in that direction, another Good Samaritan told them to cop themselves on. He used a slur. They were incensed by the slur."

He said the 17-year-old then went over and head-butted him in the face. "He pleaded guilty to that assault already," he added.

“After that small altercation they continued to Barry Daly’s house with golf clubs. Alex Deady was wearing no top, clearly incensed by what happened on Main Street. Ultimately, the three accused attended at the home of Barry Daly where Barry Daly was present.

“The event was not caught on CCTV. I am not going to tell you what I think happened. Ultimately, it is a matter of fact that Barry Daly was found dead or dying in the front garden with really serious facial and head injuries caused by a golf club to the head and face.” 

Mr Staines said that they would hear from assistant state pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster of the catastrophic injuries.

He said the prosecution case was that the three accused acted in joint enterprise, common design. 

“They acted together, before, during and after the incident. Their comments in the aftermath are relevant – comments on CCTV and alleged comments to other people.

“They all said things at interviews with gardaí. Each of the three told demonstrable lies in the course of interview.

“In a murder case of this nature there are two parts. I need to prove Barry Daly was murdered and prove each of the three were part of a joint enterprise and common design to murder.” 

Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford told the jury they need to be available for over five weeks.