'No child should ever have to spend Father’s Day standing at a graveyard missing their dad'

Murdered Cork postman Barry Daly's partner's victim impact statement was read to court on Friday, as well as apology from one of his convicted murderers Alex Deady

Barry Daly with his partner Katie O’Reilly and their children.

The partner of Barry Daly, who was murdered in the front garden of their home, thanked the people of Doneraile for their support in the darkest time of the family’s life — saying their kindness and compassion would never be forgotten.

Katie O’Reilly said in her victim impact statement he was her soulmate and the father of their four boys, that she and Barry were inseparable and would easily have 30 phone calls a day between them: “He was not just my partner, he was my best friend, my safety, and my home.

“Barry was protective, supportive and constantly making us laugh. He was a little bit wild and a little bit mad in all the best ways. Even now, I can still hear his voice and his laugh. I miss everything about him. I miss hearing him come home from work… 

"One of the things I miss most are the little things that nobody else would understand. When he wanted to annoy me or make me laugh, he would call me Catherine instead of Katie because he knew it wound me up. I would give anything to hear him call me Catherine one more time.

“He adored his boys and they adored him right back. If Barry loved something, they loved it too because all they ever wanted was to make their daddy proud.” 

Flowers at the house on Rockview Terrace, Doneraile, Co Cork, where the body of postman Barry Daly was discovered on October 12, 2025. Picture: Dan Linehan

Victim impact evidence was presented on Friday as sentencing was faced today by 20-year-old Alex Deady, of Glenview, Convent Road, Doneraile, Co Cork, and a 17-year-old — both convicted of murdering Barry Daly — and a 16-year-old who admitted manslaughter, on October 12 2025.

Ms O’Reilly said in her statement read by Garda liaison officer Marie McCarthy: “Christmas after Barry died was not Christmas at all. It was empty and unhappy. Father’s Day now means bringing our children to their father’s grave with balloons. No child should ever have to spend Father’s Day standing at a graveyard missing their dad.” 

Letter of apology

Alex Deady wrote a letter of apology to the Daly family: “I am sincerely sorry for the pain and suffering I have caused to you all… I understand you will never accept my apology. This was never the outcome I intended. I understand the children will grow up without a father and I think about it daily and will for the rest of my life. I understand ‘sorry’ will never bring Barry Daly back. 

"I hope someday you will find it in your heart to forgive me. I hope and pray Barry can rest peacefully and you can all get on with your lives. My prayers and condolences are with Barry’s family and friends.” 

Alex Deady will be sentenced on Monday, August 31. Because of a probation report being prepared on the 17-year-old and psychiatrists’ or psychologists’ report assessing the maturity of this teenager, and the 16-year-old, were directed on Friday, Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford put the teenagers’ cases in for mention on August 7, to be further adjourned until August 31. 

If reports are not available for that sentencing date, their sentencing will be done in mid-September. Alex Deady will definitely be sentenced on August 31, the judge said.