Fifth Traveller found not guilty of murder

Five Travellers accused of the murder of their cousin at a family funeral have been found not guilty at the Central Criminal Court.

The jury in the 30-day trial first reached a unanimous verdict of not guilty on four of the accused after four hours and five minutes.

They took a further hour and 20 minutes to find Mr Michael “Hitler Bumbee” McDonagh not guilty of murder on a majority verdict.

The five travellers from the same family denied the murder of Mr Patrick "Deuce" Ward in May 1999 at Carrownanty Cemetery in Ballymote, Co Sligo.

Mr Michael "Hitler Bumbee" McDonagh snr (aged 58), Mr Martin "Bumbee" McDonagh snr (aged 53), Mr Michael McDonagh jnr (aged 29), Mr Patrick McDonagh (aged 33) and Mr Martin "Spider Bumbee" McDonagh jnr (aged 26) from Hertfordshire in London had all denied the murder of Mr Ward. Mr "Deuce" Ward, (aged 38), a father of six originally from Galway but resident in Manchester.

He had travelled to Ireland for the funeral of his uncle, also Patrick Ward, in Ballymote, Co Sligo on May 10, 1999 when he was fatally shot at.

The five men were cleared of all charges by the jury including the attempted murder of three men; Mr Patrick "Jaws" Ward snr, Mr Patrick "Jaws" Ward jnr and Mr Edward "Ned" Ward on the same occasion.

They were also found not guilty the possession of a firearm with the intent to in danger life.

The five were found not guilty to causing violent disorder on the same date.

When the not guilty verdict was reached on the four accused, the Ward family left the court with one of the family shouting, “an eye for an eye, lads”.

Later when the full verdict on all five accused was delivered, Mr Paddy “Jaws” Ward snr said, “call that justice, lads, the state did us down”, as he left the courtroom.

There was a heavy garda presence surrounding the Central Criminal Court in attempt to keep the two families separated.

Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill thanked the jury “most sincerely” for their duty, saying “it was a very difficult trial involving the tragic death of a young man”.

Mr Justice O’Neill discharged the jury for a period of 20 years.