Boy, 14, drove car to save father from frenzied attack

A 14-year-old boy drove a car containing his bloodied and disfigured father and a 20-month-old baby away from the scene of a frenzied machete attack.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Gerald Keys said father of 10, Bernie McDonagh had suffered ‘extraordinary injuries” in “an appalling event” that occurred as Mr McDonagh was collecting his children from primary school in Ennis on May 18, 2010.

In the attack Mr McDonagh had his right ring finger cut off and sustained multiple injuries to his head and body as the unarmed man was beaten by three others armed with a machete and two iron bars.

Mr McDonagh’s son John, before taking control of the Toyota Corolla car to drive his father to the nearby Ennis General Hospital, recovered his father’s severed finger and wrapped it in tissue. Doctors were unable to reattach it.

Judge Keys jailed two second cousins of Bern- ard McDonagh, brothers, Michael McDonagh for four years with one year suspended and Anthony McDonagh for three years with one year suspended for their combined assault on Mr McDonagh.

Michael McDonagh, aged 34, of Kilcruttin halting site, Kilcruttin, Tullamore, Co Offaly pleaded guilty to assaulting causing serious harm while Anthony McDonagh, aged 28, Ardrew Walk, Dun Brinn, Athy, Kildare, pleaded guilty to causing harm to Mr McDonagh.

A third brother, Patrick McDonagh, has previously been jailed for three years for his role in the attack.

Judge Keys said Bernard McDonagh “could have been killed” in what he described as an “absolutely outrageous incident”.

The judge said that the feuding between Travellers “has to stop”.

In a victim impact statement, Bernie McDonagh said he had been a victim of “a senseless attack and my life will never be the same again”. Mr McDonagh said that the attack had badly affected his 14-year-old son John, seven-year-old daughter Linda, and 20-month-old grandson Marcus.

He said: “My life has been destroyed by what happened.”

In evidence, Det Garda John Casey said that Bernie McDonagh was initially attacked by the McDonaghs outside Ennis National School when they pulled up in their Toyota Avensis.

He said Michael McDonagh armed with the machete and Patrick McDonagh armed with an iron bar got out of their car and attacked Bernard McDonagh and damaged his car.

Det Casey said that Michael McDonagh in this attack struck Bernard McDonagh on the head with the machete. The detective said Bernard McDonagh, in an effort to get away from the attackers, drove through a red light.