Man charged with murder was 'extremely angry', court told
A 21-year-old man charged with the murder of a postman was "extremely angry" after his "woman" was hit by the 42-year-old and said that he needed to "sort it out", a murder trial has heard.
Alex Deady of Glenview, Convent Road, Doneraile in Co Cork and two juveniles, aged 16 and 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons are on trial at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork.
All three are charged with the murder of father of five Barry Daly at Rockview Terrace in Doneraile, on 12 October 2025.
The trial has heard evidence from Alex Deady's girlfriend. She previously said that she was outside Eily's Bar on Main Street in Doneraile at closing time on 12 October 2025.
She said that there was a crowd outside the pub as the locals had been celebrating a major victory for the local hurling team in the Junior B Final.
She said that Barry Daly hit her in the side of the face in an unprovoked assault.
'On cloud nine' following hurling win
Her brother said that they were "ecstatic" and on "cloud nine" following the hurling win and that everyone had gathered in the bar to celebrate.
He recalled that his sister was punched by Barry Daly and said that he was also headbutted by a male at the scene. This was after closing time outside Eily's Bar.
He said that his sister "was holding her mouth and crying" and that he was furious at what had occurred.
However, he said that his friends calmed him down. He stated that Barry Daly told him that what had occurred was "an accident".
He said that he did not think it was an accident. However, he indicated that he "could be wrong".
He said that he spoke to Alex Deady who stated that his sister was "his woman" and that he needed to "sort it out".
He saw Alex Deady going down the main street of the town with two other people. When he next saw Alex 10 or 15 minutes later he told him that he had "sorted with" or "dealt with Barry." He said that at that point Alex had his top off.
Another witness Conor O'Mahony said that there was a bit of a "sing song" outside the pub after closing time as a guy had brought a guitar out from behind the counter of the premises.
He said that he noticed that there was some shouting going on between Barry Daly and a few other "young fellas".
Mr O'Mahony said that Barry Daly then "swung a closed fist".
"I don't know who he was aiming at but he hit her [Alex Deady's girlfriend] in the jaw. I don't think he meant to hit her. He kept saying 'I didn't mean it'.
"I am lead to believe he didn't mean to hit her."
He said that his friends calmed him down but that Barry Daly and another man end up "grappling on the floor".
They were pulled apart and a few men in their 30s or 40s urged Barry Daly to go home.
Mr O'Mahony said that he saw Alex Deady go down towards the T junction in the town with two other people.
'Visibly angry'
He said that he lost sight of Alex Deady and did not see him again until about 10 minutes later. Mr O'Mahony said that when Mr Deady returned, he was "visibly angry" and that he and another person were carrying two golf clubs.
He said that he saw the "two lads running up the road with two golf clubs". Mr O'Mahony said that he was in "disbelief" and that he wondered how it had "escalated to this".
Alex Deady and the 17-year-old accused have pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter. The 16-year-old has pleaded not guilty to murder.
The trial has heard that Mr Daly died of catastrophic head and facial injuries.
In his outline of the case to the jury last week Lorcan Staines, SC for the prosecution, said that the three accused people "moved together, arrived together, used weapons of the same kind together, engaged to go to that place together, left together, discarded weapons together and remained in each other's company after, even though they knew what happened".
Mr Staines said that the onus was on the prosecution to prove that each of the three were part of a "joint enterprise and common design to murder".
The trial will continue tomorrow and is expected to last several weeks.
