DNA on golf club found in park matched deceased and one of accused, Cork murder trial is told

An intact golf club was found by the archway at Doneraile park in the course of last October’s murder investigation and today the jury were told that the head of the golf club matched the DNA of the deceased man and the handle matched the DNA of one of the three accused.

Detective Garda Jennifer Doyle was one of the team from the ballistics and forensics section of An Garda Síochána who carried out a crime scene investigation in Doneraile on October 12 2025.

Det Garda Doyle said that one of the items recovered in the area was a golf club on the ground by the archway at Doneraile Park. 

“It is a full golf club, a bit bent,” the detective said as an evidence bag was handed to her by Detective Garda Aidan Long at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork, and the item was taken out and shown to Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and the jury of seven women and five men.

Later in the day, Sarah Fleming of Forensic Science Ireland described her results after analysing the club for blood or DNA.

“I found no blood on the item. I took samples from the sides of the head of the club and from the grip. There is a major contributor of DNA… on the sides of the golfclub. The major DNA matched Barry Daly (the deceased). From the grooves on the head of the golf club Barry Daly and Alex Deady are the main and minor contributors respectively (in terms of DNA).

“The grip of the handle had mixed major and minor DNA. The major matched Alex Deady. The minor was unsuitable for interpretation,” Dr Fleming testified.

20-year-old Alex Deady and two juveniles, aged 16 and 17 at the time, 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.

Det Garda Jennifer Doyle said the crime scene investigation on October 12 last year also found the broken head of a golf club in the garden of the deceased. Also found was the broken section of a golf club consisting of handle and shaft which was found in Doneraile park.

The third location for golf club evidence was at the laneway at 8 to 9 Mallow Road where two parts were found, firstly the broken head of a golf club and, secondly, the handle and shaft of a golf club.

Dr Fleming also reported on her findings in relation to these items. Again there was no blood on any of them. And in relation to DNA analysis there was no linking of DNA of any parties in this case to the items found.

A visitor to Doneraile, Brian Connor, was asleep with his family at accommodation on Main Street in the town at the relevant time. He woke to noises on the street at approximately 1.30am.

“I remember a name being said. One person who was very upset and angry and two people trying to calm that person down… They were trying to calm down a man with the name Alex.

“I heard banging. It sounded like metal on metal… It was like a whipping, whacking, pinging noise being hit off the ground, it was a strange noise, a noise I was not used to hearing,” Mr Connor said.

Christopher Lehane who lives at 3 Rockview Terrace, near where the deceased was found, at 1 Rockview Terrace, testified: “In the early hours of October 12 I heard a loud bang and I looked out the window. I see two people walking along with no tops on and they had golf clubs.

“They were coming from Doneraile town and they climbed my wall. They were after (a teenager) but my mother brought (the teenager) into the house.

“They climbed a small little wall and they went up to Number 1 Rockview Terrace then.

“Two men with golfclubs – I seen them running back into town about 15 minutes later.” 

Alice Fawsitt, senior counsel for the 17-year-old who is on trial, suggested that in his statement to gardaí on October 12 Mr Lehane referred to one man following the teenager and that this one man was carrying a golf club. Ms Fawsitt said that it was not until his second statement on October 16 that he described “two suspects running on the lawn”.

The witness said in court: “I seen two suspects on the lawn.” 

Ms Fawsitt said: “That is not what you told the guards in your first statement.” 

He said: “I disagree. I saw two suspects on the lawn.” 

Tom Creed, senior counsel for Alex Deady, also suggested to the witness that he said different things in his statements and what he said in court.

After the cross-examinations, prosecution senior counsel Lorcan Staines re-examined the witness. “Other than (the teenager who came into his house) how many people did you see?” 

Mr Lehane replied: “I seen the two suspects running through the lawn.” The trial continues.