Man accused of murdering Cork postman said he wanted to see 'five-iron imprinted in his face', courts hears

“A five-iron imprinted in his face – I can’t wait to see him,” one of the three people accused of murdering 44-year-old Doneraile postman Barry Daly declared in the immediate aftermath.

A recording from CCTV with visual and audio was played for the jury yesterday at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

Alex Deady (20) of Glenview, Convent Road, Doneraile, County Cork, and two juveniles, aged 16 and 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are on trial charged with 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.

Detective Garda Paul O’Shea went through CCTV from Doneraile in the early hours of October 12, 2025, from numerous commercial and domestic properties and created a compendium of footage, which was played for Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and the jury of seven women and five men.

Photographs of scenes 

Detective Garda Caroline Hughes took photographs of scenes and evidence which included the broken off head of a golfclub close to where the deceased man Barry Daly was found in his front garden. Det Garda Hughes also photographed the shafts of golfclubs, another golfclub head and a bent golfclub which were also located around Doneraile in garda searches during the murder investigation.

Det Garda O’Shea identified the voice of Alex Deady from a doorbell CCTV at Convent Road, Doneraile, that was recorded at 2.18am on October 12, 2025.

The recording was played and his own senior counsel Tom Creed read out a transcription by the gardaí of what was heard: “Ha. See how bad my face is. I can’t wait to see Barry’s. Ha. A five-iron imprinted in his face – I can’t wait to see him. Ha. Oh when I see his face… I think I’ll just…” 

Mr Creed said of this recording: “It is your understanding that it is my client speaking?” 

Det Garda O’Shea said. “Yes, it is my understanding that is Alex Deady speaking.” 

Mr Creed said of Alex Deady: “He believes (in the 2.18am recording) he will see the deceased again with an imprint of a golfclub on his face?” 

Det Garda O’Shea replied: “That is the comment he makes.” 

Ray Boland defence senior counsel for the 16-year-old said there were three incidents or brawls on the streets of Doneraile before the incident at the front of the deceased man’s home.

“He (the 16-year-old) stupidly told guards he was not out at all but obviously that is not correct,” Mr Boland said.

Then he went through the three brawls, the first at 1.28am on Main Street, the second seen from The Townhouse CCTV at 1.31am. He said the first sighting of his client was at 1.47am and said, “he was not involved in either of those two brawls.” Mr Boland said the 16-year-old appeared to have joined the 17-year-old and Alex Deady later.

Footage

Mr Boland said that in footage of the three accused going towards the deceased’s house, Alex Deady appears to have a golfclub, the 17-year-old has two and his client, the 16-year-old has none.

On the way back he has something in his hand Alex Deady said to him:“I am not trying to be bad, like, but keep up, keep up, like, throw that away, don’t throw it away here.” 

Mr Boland commented: “This is the first time (16-year-old) is seen with an implement… And he was not involved in any of the three altercations.” 

Alice Fawsitt senior counsel said it was at 1.47am that her client, the 17-year-old, was first seen, coming down the road with the 16-year-old. Ms Fawsitt asked for a continuous segment of CCTV be shown to the jury without interruption, which showed the three brawls in the town that occurred between 1.28am and 1.36am.

Mr Creed said the girlfriend of Alex Deady could be seen walking away from one of the three incidents holding her mouth and Mr Creed commented: “It is alleged she was struck in the face by the deceased.” 

Referring to another moment where someone was knocked to the ground, Det Garda Shea said: “That is the deceased who is knocked to the ground (by a person identified as being other than any of the three defendants).”

Opening the case, Lorcan Staines, prosecution senior counsel said: “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.” 

Conflicting evidence

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.

“(The three defendants) armed themselves with golfclubs. They moved in the direction of Barry Daly’s home… 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.

“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 golfclub to the head and face.” 

Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford told the jury to return to the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork on Monday.