Jury in Doneraile murder trial told it can return majority verdict

Jurors have spent more than 10 hours considering verdicts after both accused admitted manslaughter but denied murder

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

Jury deliberations in the Doneraile murder trial have now reached a total of 10 hours and 13 minutes over the past three days, and on Friday the jury will enter a fourth day of deliberations to decide whether the two accused are guilty of murder or manslaughter.

The jury will return to the Central Criminal Court at 10.30am on Friday to resume its deliberations.

Having been instructed at the outset that its verdict had to be unanimous, Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford told the jury at 2pm on Thursday that it could now return a majority verdict. 

However, because one juror was discharged on June 29, the only verdicts available are either a unanimous decision by all 11 jurors or a majority verdict of 10-1.

The two accused admit the unlawful killing or manslaughter of 44-year-old postman Barry Daly, but deny the charge of murder.

Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford told the jury at the outset of the trial that a verdict of not guilty is not available, as both accused have already admitted manslaughter.

The jury has been sitting at the Central Criminal Court in Cork since being sworn in on June 3, and the trial opened on June 4.

Alex Deady, 20, of Glenview, Convent Road, Doneraile, Co Cork, and a 17-year-old are each charged with the murder of Mr Daly at Rockview Terrace, Doneraile, on October 12, 2025.

Both Alex Deady and the 17-year-old pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter at the outset of the trial.

The jury no longer has to consider the case against a third accused.

On June 24, the third defendant, aged 16, entered a plea of "not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter" for the first time, and the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the plea to manslaughter.