Two teenagers jailed for their part in death of Cork postman Barry Daly

An eight-year jail term was imposed on a 17-year-old for his part in the brutal murder of postman Barry Daly in Doneraile in the front garden of his home last October. 

A 16-year-old who confessed to manslaughter for his lesser part was jailed for two years.

Alex Deady (21) of Glenview, Convent Road, Doneraile, County Cork, was jailed for life a fortnight ago.

On Friday Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford finalised the case by imposing a sentence of 11 years on the 17-year-old with the last three years suspended, after a jury found him guilty of murder.

Because he is a child in legal terms being under the age of 18, he was entitled to have his sentence considered in terms of not receiving a mandatory life term for murder which a person of 18 or more would receive.

The 16-year-old was in a different position as he was the youngest, the least involved and also he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced on that and not murder. He was given a sentence of two years and six months with the last six months suspended.

There is a legal prohibition on identification of the two juveniles who were sentenced on Friday at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

Postman Barry Daly (44) at Rockview Terrace in Doneraile was murdered in the front garden of his home on October 12, 2025. The prosecution case was that the deceased was struck to the face with a golf club, at least once and probably more, and died almost instantly.

It followed a row on a night of great celebrations in Doneraile for the victory of the local hurling team.

Regarding the late Barry Daly, Judge Lankford said on Friday that that the victim impact statements had been extremely moving and she recalled that his lifetime partner Katie O’Reilly told the court: “Father’s Day now means bringing our children to their father’s grave with balloons. No child should ever have to spend Father’s Day standing at a graveyard missing their dad.” 

The judge noted that Mr Daly is also a great loss to an adult son, to the entire Daly family, to the O’Reilly family, and to those who knew him.

“It is clear that Barry Daly was a real people person and created good humour wherever he went. He was a postman who took his position very seriously and is a huge loss to the community in which he worked,” Ms Justice Lankford said.