Tributes pour in for 'quiet but very popular' Cork father-of-two killed in Australia
Moving tributes are being paid following the death in Perth Australia of Charles John McCarthy, a 32-year-old father-of-two from Cork, who died following a violent incident with a local fisherman shortly before Christmas.
Mr McCarthy emigrated to Australia in the 2000s, but returned to Aghada, with his wife, for a period, before they returned to live and work in Perth. The couple has two children — Ciara, five, and Niall, two.
A 34 year old man has appeared in front of Perth Magistrate’s Court and has been charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm but the court heard this charge would likely be upgraded to murder or manslaughter after a post mortem.
Parish priest in Aghada, Fr Denis Kelleher, said he prayed with Mr McCarthy’s parents, Charlie and Margaret, at their home on Saturday, shortly after news of the attack, when medics were holding out little hope of Mr McCarthy’s survival.
He said there has been a great sense of sadness and shock in the community.
He said the family were all remembered in masses in the parish, over Christmas, and he said he hoped to provide continued support to the family, in the difficult days ahead.
Mr McCarthy was described as “quiet, but very popular” and very committed to Aghada GAA club, where his sisters, twins Sinead and Siobhán, play with Aghada junior ladies’ football team.
Reacting to the death this evening Mr McCarthy's eldest sister described the father-of-two as "the best daddy in the world".
Speaking to Independent.ie Karina Dolan went on to say Mr McCarthy's wife and children "were everything to him."
"Charlie was my pet, he was home last year for the wedding and that was the last time I held him in my arms.
"He was beautiful inside and out. He was just the best, you couldn't put it into words. He had a heart of gold and he was never once in an ounce of trouble."
In an emotional tribute Ms Dolan went on: "Honestly, if you had met him, he was just so loved and had the heartiest laugh. We have to be strong for him now because he was strong for us".
Mr McCarthy's cousin, Lorna Stinson, also posted a tribute on Facebook: “Our beautiful cousin taken far too soon. My heart goes out to all our family, who have been robbed of a son, husband, brother, uncle, cousin and father to two beautiful children.”
Aghada parish tweeted yesterday: “Let us keep his family in Perth, and here at home in Aghada, in our prayers.”
Aghada ladies’ football team also posted on Facebook: “Our thoughts and prayers are with all the McCarthy family, at this sad time.”
A 34-year-old Australian man could face a murder or manslaughter charge following the death of a Cork dad-of-two after incident in Perth.
The accused has been named as 34-year-old Andrew Doan, according to Australian website PerthNow
Mr Doan appeared infront of Perth Magistrate’s Court on earlier and was charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm but the court heard this charge would likely be upgraded to murder or manslaughter after a post mortem.
The victim, Charles John McCarthy, died after an alleged fight with the fisherman.
A row broke out, during which Mr McCarthy fell to the ground after being allegedly stabbed in the temple.
It is unclear what prompted the altercation but it is understood he was attacked with a screwdriver.
Mr Doan's lawyer said his client's actions were more consistent with self-defence or accident during a bail application.
He also said the accused a "compassionate, generous, kind and harmless father" intends to defend himself at a trial.
Police prosecutors opposed the bail application on the grounds that it would be inappropriate to release Mr Doan from custody when the matter was likely to be sent to a higher court.
The application has been adjourned until next month pending the outcome of the post mortem.
Mr Doan's fiancé and family did not comment as they left the court.
An Irish man has died after an alleged fight with a fisherman in Australia.
The victim has been named locally as Charles John McCarthy, who is a father-of-two from Cork, who had been living in Perth, Western Australia for a number of years.
Mr McCarthy, originally from Aghada in east Cork, was walking with his wife Nicole and a friend on Riverside Road in East Freemantle, Perth, in the early hours of Saturday, December 23, when they stopped to speak to two anglers.
A row broke out with one of them during which Mr McCarthy fell to the ground after being allegedly stabbed in the temple.
It is unclear what prompted the altercation but it is understood he was attacked with a screwdriver.
He was taken to Royal Perth Hospital where he was placed on life support in a critical condition after his wife raised the alarm.
His brother Daniel flew over to be at his bedside, along with other family members, when the life support was switched off yesterday.
Police arrested a 34-year-old man from Freemantle who has been charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm after appearing in court on Christmas Eve.
Mr McCarthy is survived by his wife Nicole and children Ciara (5) and two-year-old Niall, his parents Charlie and Margaret and his siblings in Cork.
The official Twitter account of Aghada Parish has paid tribute to Mr McCarthy.
East Cork County Councillor Danielle Twomey, who knows the McCarthy family said Charlie was a lovely man.
"He was very quiet but popular. The whole community was very fond of him," she told Cork's Evening Echo.
"It is very sad what happened. The whole community is behind his family here in Cork."
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