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.