Teenage accused tells murder trial another defendant hit Cork postman once with golf club

The 17-year-old said he had a golf club on the night of the alleged incident for his own protection, claiming it was 'to scare' Barry Daly

Barry Daly (pictured) was found dead in Doneraile on October 12, 2025.

A teenager accused of murdering 44-year-old postman Barry Daly said he only carried a golf club for his protection and told gardaí: “It was just to give him a fright, to scare him. I didn’t plan to use it or nothing.” 

The 17-year-old who admits manslaughter but denies murder told gardaí that Barry Daly was only struck once and that that was by 20-year-old Alex Deady.

The 17-year-old said he went to Barry Daly’s in the early hours of October 12, 2025, with Alex Deady of Glenview, Convent Road, Doneraile, County Cork. Both of these accused pleaded not guilty to murdering Barry Daly at Rockview Terrace in Doneraile on October 12, 2025, but guilty to manslaughter.

A 16-year-old simply pleaded not guilty to murder. The ages relate to the date of the incident.

Thursday is day 10 of the murder trial before Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and a jury of seven women and five men at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

Describing to gardaí what he said occurred in the front garden of Barry Daly’s house, the 17-year-old said: “As I was going through, Barry jumped out and swung for me. I kind of tried to dodge it. Alex just hit him and we ran. I didn’t know what to do, I was scared. I got a golf club for protection, there was no intention from anyone.

“It was an iron. He (the deceased) threw a punch. I moved out of the way. I dodged. Alex hit him once, he fell,” the teenager said. Asked what Alex hit him with, he replied: “I think it was a golf club, it could have been a punch.” 

Asked: “Did you and Alex have a golf club each?” he replied: “Yes.” 

Garda interviews with Alex Deady

Further memos of garda interviews with Alex Deady were also read to the jury. Describing the single blow he said he gave the deceased, Alex Deady said: “It was a tip, it wasn’t a big swing.” 

Asked about not wearing a top when he went up to Barry Daly’s, he said that it had been ripped off him.

“Did anyone else strike Barry with the golf club?” Alex replied: 

No, just me, it was only once I’m sure. 

From other witnesses who described meeting with Alex later that morning after the incident at Barry Daly’s house, it was put to the 20-year-old: “You told people Barry was KO-ed. You were in the house talking about a hurling match and drinking a can of Heineken when Barry had died.” 

Alex replied: “I didn’t know that… I did not mean to kill him. I am so sorry for it… (when he left) he (Barry) was talking, he was talking, saying f*** you, you knacker.” 

Gardaí put it to him: “The post-mortem said his jaw was totally smashed.” Alex replied: “He was talking, he was.” 

Asked by the gardaí: “Why is he dead and his kids without a father?” Alex replied: “Because of me. I didn’t want to kill him.” 

“What do you think would happen if you hit someone in the head with a golf club?” he was asked and he replied: “He was only hit once.” 

The gardaí said: “The post-mortem said otherwise — more than one strike with a weapon.” Alex said: “You are trying to put stuff in my head.” 

Asked: “Did anyone else hit Barry Daly?” Alex replied: “No.” 

Gardaí said: “You were hellbent on causing serious injury to Barry Daly?” He replied: “No I was not.” 

Asked about "leaving him for dead", he said: “I did not leave him for dead, he was moving.” 

Gardaí said: “You went back to a house for a party leaving him for dead.” He replied: “I didn’t know he was dead. I obviously didn’t want him to die.” 

Garda interviews with 17-year-old

In the course of the interviews with the 17-year-old, he was asked a number of times how many of them went up to Barry Daly’s house. He said there were two. 

When shown CCTV of himself and Alex and a third male going in that direction, he was asked again and he said there were three in the video, but he said he did not know who the third person was, saying: “I remember only me and Alex.” 

Asked if there was a reason why he did not want to name the third person, he said he just did not know him.

In a later interview, he named the 16-year-old. Gardaí returned to this during another interview: “Yesterday you said you didn’t know the third person. That changed.” The 17-year-old said: “In the first interview I left (name of 16-year-old) out.” 

He went on to tell gardaí that the 16-year-old phoned him to say that he had been told that Alex was in a fight in Doneraile.

The trial continues.