Teenager, 16, admits manslaughter of Cork postman in Doneraile murder trial

The 16-year-old was re-arraigned on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter

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

The Doneraile murder trial had a development on Wednesday when the 16-year-old accused of murdering 44-year-old postman Barry Daly was re-arraigned and pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter.

Following a legal discussion that went on throughout Tuesday at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork, defence senior counsel Ray Boland said on Wednesday that his 16-year-old client could be re-arraigned.

When the jury arrived back in court, Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford said: “In your absence there has been a development and I can now tell you that (16-year-old, who cannot be named as he is a juvenile) will be re-arraigned before you.” 

The murder charge was then read to him and he replied: “Not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.” 

Prosecution senior counsel Lorcan Staines said: “That plea of manslaughter is acceptable to the DPP. His case can be adjourned until Monday on continuing bail.” The 16-year-old then left the courtroom.

That leaves two defendants on trial before Ms Justice Lankford and the jury of seven women and five men.

20-year-old Alex Deady of Glenview, Convent Road, Doneraile, County Cork, and a 17-year-old now continue on trial at the Central Criminal Court on the charge of murdering Barry Daly at Rockview Terrace in Doneraile on October 12, 2025. Alex Deady and the 17-year-old pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, at the outset of the trial.

Alex Deady’s senior counsel Tom Creed said the defence would not be going into evidence and would be relying on the account that he gave to gardaí as disclosed to the jury in the memoranda of interviews.

Alice Fawsitt senior counsel for the 17-year-old said that her position was the same and that her client would not be giving evidence and that the jury had heard the account he had given to gardaí.

Closing speeches in the trial then commenced.