Jury continues its deliberations over murder of Doneraile postman

Deliberations will continue tomorrow in the Doneraile murder trial where a teenager denies murdering 44-year-old postman, Barry Daly, outside his home last October.

The jury were sent home this afternoon, after approximately five-and-a-half hours of deliberations.

Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford directed the seven women and five men of the jury on the relevant legal principles that are applicable when they are considering the evidence in the case before the Central Criminal Court which has been sitting in Cork for this trial since July 16.

Today they asked for transcripts of some of the evidence heard in the trial, including the evidence of assistant state pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster. Before being sent home, they also asked for a transcript of the judge’s charge, which covers a summary of the evidence and the legal principles.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be identified as he is a juvenile, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of 44-year-old Barry Daly at Rockview Terrace in Doneraile on October 12 2025.

Closing evidence

In the closing evidence they were reminded that 20-year-old Alex Deady, of Glenview, Convent Road, Doneraile, has been convicted of murdering Barry Daly, that a 16-year-old has been convicted of manslaughter. 

They were also reminded that the 17-year-old who is on trial has no previous convictions of any kind and has never come to the attention of the gardaí, other than in this investigation.

Ms Justice Lankford said that because of his plea of not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, the jury have two verdicts available to them – guilty of murder or not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.

The judge told them they had as much time as they needed but that their verdict must be unanimous.

On the issue of intention, the judge explained: “Intention to kill can be formed in an instant. It is not objective – you are considering whether a 17-year-old had an intention to kill or cause serious injury. It is not about what other 17-year-olds or other adults would think, it is what he (the accused in this case) would think.” 

She reminded the jury of the defendant saying to gardaí through his interviews with them that it was never his intention to kill or cause serious harm to Barry Daly.