Trial opens of teenager accused of murdering postman Barry Daly

'Barry Daly is found dead — certainly dying, or dead — in the front garden of his own house,' counsel said. File picture

The trial of a 17-year-old for the murder of 44-year-old postman Barry Daly in the front garden of his home opened before a jury sworn in at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork on Thursday.

Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford told the seven women and five men of the jury that the case attracted considerable publicity and, that in keeping with warnings she would give to juries in every trial, the judge told them not to read anything about the case in the media and not to visit Doneraile for any independent research.

The 17-year-old was arraigned on the charge of murdering Mr Daly at Rockview Terrace in Doneraile on October 12 2025. He has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter.

Prosecution senior counsel Lorcan Staines opened the case with an outline of the anticipated evidence in the trial.

He said the prosecution would say that following a disputed incident in Doneraile on the night of celebrations of a big hurling victory for the town, three young people, including the 17-year-old, were seen walking to the home of Mr Daly when each of the three was carrying a golfclub. 

“They are psyching each other up in relation to what is going to happen in the next few minutes,” Mr Staines said.

“We rely on circumstantial evidence as to what happened at Barry Daly’s house. Barry Daly is found dead — certainly dying, or dead — in the front garden of his own house. He died extremely quickly after the incident. He is effectively breathing in blood and dies in these circumstances.

“He has catastrophic facial injuries. One side of his jaw is completely shattered, the other side of his jaw is broken. He has major injuries to the back of his head and down the side of his head, the roof of his mouth is broken. 

"And there is a large number of bruises and grazes around his body, including one fairly serious injury to his leg, consistent with being hit with an object. The pathologist said it could have been a golfclub.

“He (the 17-year-old) said Alex Deady, 20, hit Barry Daly but only hit him once, and he (the 17-year-old) did not do anything. The prosecution says that cannot be true in light of those injuries. We say it is fanciful that one blow from a golfclub caused all those injuries.” 

Mr Staines said DNA linked Mr Deady, of Glenview, Convent Rd, Doneraile, Co Cork, to the grip of one golfclub and said that the head of the club came in contact with the deceased. 

He said it is the prosecution case that the broken head of a golfclub found close to the body of the deceased was part of the golfclub that the 17-year-old had.

He said the prosecution case is that the 17-year-old, along with Mr Deady, murdered Mr Daly, and that the teenager “participated in the blows that were given to Barry Daly".

Mr Staines said the 17-year-old hade made the case, at interview with gardaí, that he went to Mr Daly’s house with the intention of fighting him or another person but that he did not go there to cause serious injury. When he got there, he did not actually do anything at all, he claimed.

Mr Staines said it was for the prosecution to prove the case and that the accused did not have to prove anything.

The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.