Cork postman's murder trial hears from witnesses on video link during their J1 holidays in San Diego

A young man on trial for murdering postman Barry Daly on the night of big hurling celebrations in Doneraile said “his woman” had been punched in the mouth and that he had to sort it out.

That is what one witness told Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and the jury of seven women and five men at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork today.

Fionn O’Kelly said his sister had been punched by the deceased Barry Daly that night outside Eily’s pub after closing time and that 20-year-old Alex Deady of Glenview, Convent Road, Doneraile, was “really mad”. 

Witness Fionn O’Kelly said: “I remember Alex coming back down with his top off. Alex was saying he had sorted Barry or something along those lines… he had sorted Barry or dealt with Barry.” 

Alex Deady and two juveniles, aged 16 and 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are on trial charged with murdering 44-year-old postman Barry Daly at Rockview Terrace in Doneraile on October 12 2025. 

Alex Deady, 20, 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.

Video link from San Diego

Fionn O’Kelly and three other witnesses gave evidence by video link from San Diego in the USA today where they are on J1 holiday work visas.

Fionn said: “There was maybe 60 people in Eily’s Bar that night. It felt like everybody was on cloud nine after the championship final… Everyone was drinking a lot, I was pretty drunk I’d say. 

"I remember an argument breaking out (outside the pub). There was a lot of roaring and shouting. I remember my sister getting punched by Barry Daly. I walked towards him and I got headbutted (by a teenager).

“I walked down with my sister, she was crying. I saw Barry across the street. I was pretty furious at this stage. I was walking across to the opposite side of the street. I was stopped (by two men) trying to calm me. I didn’t realise it, but Barry Daly had left by then.” 

Fionn said that before Barry Daly walked away, “he (the deceased) was shouting over at me, ‘It was an accident, it was an accident’, (in relation to punching Rachel). On the night I did not think it was, but I could be wrong, I was pretty drunk. No one would like to see their sister getting punched in the face.” 

'I sorted him'

He said he did not have any physical contact with Barry Daly. Later in the night, he heard that Barry Daly was badly injured, perhaps dead. He saw Alex again and Alex said: “I sorted him” or “I dealt with him”.

Conor O’Mahony also testified from San Diego today that, “Barry had a closed fist and swung and hit Rachel O’Kelly in the chin, in the jaw… Barry said it was an accident.” 

Cross-examined by Alex Deady’s senior counsel Tom Creed, he asked who Barry Daly was swinging his fist at, if it was only accidental that he hit Rachel, and Mr O’Mahony said: “I would have assumed one of the people he was shouting with.” 

'Someone separated them'

Conor said that he (Conor) grabbed Barry and pushed him against one of the shops and that Barry said, “I didn’t mean it”, and he said someone separated the two of them. 

Conor said he wanted to keep Fionn away from Barry and that he did not want anybody to be fighting.

Daniel O’Connell said that the cup from the hurling final win went back to Eily’s pub and was filled a couple of times with drink. 

He said he challenged Barry Daly about hitting Rachel and he said there was pushing and shoving between them.

“(Later) two lads ran up the road. They had golfclubs in their hands, screaming. I think they had their tops off. I think they were hitting the golfclubs off the ground, that kind of crack. They were making their way up towards the top of the town… One fella had one (golfclub), I think another fella had two, I am not sure, I was across the other side of the road.

“(Afterwards in Fionn’s house) we heard something happened with the lads who had run up the road with the golfclubs. When you have been out drinking all day, stuff doesn’t seem so serious, do you get me, but it did seem serious enough,” Daniel said.

Jack O’Shea testified that everyone was in good spirits in the town that night and he recalled: “I saw Alex Deady coming down the middle of the road with a stick, I thought.” 

Golf clubs for finding bowls

Christopher Smith, who lives in Doneraile, said he kept old golfclubs by his front door and he said these were used for finding bowls when they get caught up in ditches during road bowling.

The trial continues.