Murder victim 'thought he was smart but is laid out now'

Olivia Kelleher

A man has told a murder trial that he knew father of five Barry Daly was “gone” when he and his three friends found him unresponsive and with blood on his face outside his home in Doneraile, Co Cork in the early hours of October 12th, 2025.

Alex Deady (21) from Glenview, Convent Road, Doneraile, and two young men aged 16 and 17, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Daly in Doneraile on October 12th 2025. Deady and the older teenager have pleaded guilty to Daly’s s manslaughter.

On Monday at Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork, witness Conor O’Brien told the murder trial that he and his three friends raised the alarm after they saw the body of Mr Daly on the driveway of his his home.

“You could see he was gone. There was blood on his face.”

O’Brien said that there had been an argument outside Eily’s Bar in Doneraile when it closed for the night in the early hours of October 12th, 2025. He recalled seeing Barry Daly heading in the direction of his home in Rockview Terrace in the town.

He said that shortly afterwards he noticed that Alex Deady and the 17-year-old accused had golf clubs. O'Brien and his friends decided to drive to the home of Barry Daly in an “attempt to split it (the row) up.”

A second witness Caelan Jones said that he saw Barry Daly and Alex Deady fighting outside the bar following its closure for the evening.

He said that there was a “bit of brawling” and “pushing and shoving” outside the pub.

He recalled a second incident a short time later when Alex Deady was ‘being held back’ by others on the street. Jones said that it appeared that a local man called Seamus Hunter had been hit as he had blood on his nose.

He said that he and his three friends “went for a spin” around the town. They stopped at Rockview Terrace where they spotted the body of Daly. Jones said that he went to the door of the nearest house to raise the alarm.

He said that he had “never seen anything” like what he encountered at the scene.

“Blood was on his face. His eyes (the eyes of Barry Daly) were popping out of his head.”

A third witness, Dean Lucey, said that people were “lingering” on the street when Eily’s Bar closed. He recalled that there was “a bit of a scuffle” with Barry Daly and Alex Deady being amongst those involved.

He said that onlookers split Alex Deady and Barry Daly up. Barry Daly started to head home.

He said that when he and his friend pulled up in a car at Rockview Terrace shortly afterwards they saw Barry Daly lying on his back. He was "unresponsive."

Conor McSweeney told the jury of the decision by him and his three friends to go to the home of Barry Daly to check on his welfare. He recalled seeing a “bit of roaring” going on between Alex Deady and a young man who can’t be named for legal reasons outside Eily’s Bar. He said that Alex Deady had a golf club in his possession shortly afterwards.

McSweeney said that he and his three friends went to the home of Barry Daly “to make sure that everything was okay.” He stated that they found Mr Daly on the ground outside his house.

“I tried to check his pulse. There was blood coming from his mouth and his eyes were wide open. No moving or anything.”

Meanwhile, a teenager said in evidence that he saw the three accused coming from the direction of the home of Barry Daly in the early hours of October 12th, 2025. He said that he 'saluted' the three young men but didn't receive a response.

The witness said that he heard yelling and somebody saying “Barry thought he was smart hitting a girl. He is laid out now.”

The trial will continue on Tuesday in front of a jury of seven women and five men.