Judge praises garda investigation as she hands down life sentence for Cork postman's murder

Alex Deady wrote a letter of apology to the Daly family saying: 'I understand the children will grow up without a father and I think about it daily and will for the rest of my life.'

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

The brutal murder of postman Barry Daly, 44, in Doneraile last October left his family with a huge hole in their lives which could never be filled and left his partner grieving the loss of her partner, her best friend, her safety and her home.

“The circumstances of his death were a brutal action which took his life. The action was not prolonged but it was certainly a very brutal action,” the judge said.

Tom Creed, senior counsel for the accused, said Alex Deady always acknowledged his responsibility for the death of Mr Daly by pleading guilty to manslaughter. This was not acceptable to the prosecution. Ms Justice Lankford said the State had taken the correct view and that the jury agreed, finding Alex Deady guilty of murder. Alex Deady does not accept the jury verdict.

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." 

A letter by Alex Deady’s mother echoing these comments from her son was handed in to court on Monday even though defence senior counsel accepted that it could have no impact on the inevitable sentence.

Ms Justice Lankford said she had no option but to impose the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.

Before finalising the sentence the judge said she wanted to address two particular matters. She said the garda investigation under the direction of Detective Inspector John O’Connell had been exemplary, particularly considering the legal requirement to have the case heard within 12 months of the fatal incident because two of the others who went on trial were juveniles. 

Finally, the judge extended sympathies to the Daly and O’Reilly families.

Two accomplices

Two juveniles had sentencing in their cases put back until September 11 — a 16-year-old whose plea of guilty to manslaughter was accepted, and a 17-year-old who was found guilty by a jury on the murder charge after his plea to manslaughter was not accepted.

Ray Boland, defence senior counsel, said his 16-year-old client had significantly less of a role in the crime compared to his two co-accused. In terms of his participation on the night, Mr Boland said: “We are not saying he was put under any particular, severe pressure by (the co-accused) but it arose in the context of his desire to fit in. 

"His friend (the other teenager) was like a brother to him. His view was that if he is getting involved I am getting involved too. His level of thinking about it in advance was limited, to put it mildly.

“He had no involvement in the initial dispute. He had no animus against Mr Daly. He had no previous convictions and has not come to attention subsequently. The probation report puts him at low risk of re-offending. 

"He has no history of violence or fighting, no history of serious substance abuse. He did smoke cannabis ‘to be cool’ but in fact stopped that. He is lucky he has a very supportive and loving family. I am asking the court to be as lenient as possible. He is very ashamed of his actions and shows genuine remorse,” Mr Boland said.

Alice Fawsitt, defence senior counsel, said of the 17-year-old facing sentence for murder after the jury convicted him of that offence, that by offering a plea to manslaughter at the outset he acknowledged his involvement in causing the death of Mr Daly. 

“He did not go so far as to acknowledge an intention to cause serious harm… He accepts the decision of the jury,” she said.

The teenager wrote a letter in which he said he felt bad for his own family but especially he felt worse for Mr Daly’s family. “I am not here asking for forgiveness. I cannot forgive myself so I don’t expect them to forgive me. They are in my thoughts and prayers.” 

Ms Justice Lankford said the guidance for judges sentencing a juvenile for murder is that they can be given a life sentence but should not be sentenced in this way if it was possible to avoid it. 

Ms Fawsitt urged the judge to consider the level of maturity of the teenager in acting the way he did on the night and to consider the contents of the probation and psychiatric report prepared for the court and to impose a reduced sentence.

Trial evidence

A lot of the trial consisted of evidence of events on Main Street, Doneraile, before the ultimate fatal event in the front garden. Extensive evidence was heard of an altercation at closing time, and that Barry Daly hit Alex Deady’s girlfriend, Rachel O’Kelly, in the mouth. 

She said it was deliberate, Barry Daly said it was accidental, and different witnesses said different things about whether it was deliberate or accidental.

Prosecution senior counsel Lorcan Staines said what happened in town did not matter. There was further evidence of the three accused having golf clubs as they made their way to Barry Daly’s home and the unsuccessful efforts of some people to stop them.

The 17-year-old defendant said: “We were going up, expecting a fight, to be honest. No intention to kill… There was no plan…I went and got golf clubs. I went with (Alex) to the house. Barry Daly came out from behind a pillar, he swung at me, I ducked, Alex hit him.” 

Alex Deady described things in similar terms when he was interviewed by gardaí. Asked where he made contact with the deceased, Alex Deady, indicated to the left side of his head. 

He said: “I had no intention of killing him.” It was put to him: “You struck him with a golf club.” He replied: “He was stumbling – one, two steps and he went down. He was still saying fuck. 

"Oh man, it wasn’t like he was out on the ground. He was still saying fuck you, he was moving. We left. We just ran. I got such a fright. I don’t even know, oh man, it was all just a blur.” 

Lorcan Staines, prosecution senior counsel, listed injuries to the deceased’s mouth, “his absolutely battered jaw”, back of head and abrasions “all over his body”, and “one very significant injury to his body consistent with striking with a golf club”. 

He commented: “The idea of one strike with a golf club is just utterly fanciful.”