Doneraile locals shocked at 'needless and pointless' death of postman Barry Daly

The historic North Cork town of Doneraile has been plunged into mourning following the violent death of postman Barry Daly

Barry Daly: His death is expected to be upgraded to a murder investigation.

As a pall of grey gloom hung over Doneraile, gardaí spent Monday afternoon carrying out a detailed investigation into the death of local postman Barry Daly with the same vigour as a murder investigation.

The death probe was expected to be upgraded to a murder investigation later on Monday, following an autopsy by assistant State pathologist Dr Margot Bolster. 

As the outcome of that was awaited in the afternoon, gardaí carried out door-to-door inquiries along the Mallow exit from the town, close to the scene outside a bungalow at Rockview Terrace where 44-year-old Barry Daly was found in the early hours of Sunday.

The entrance to the house was still sealed off on Monday afternoon with Garda tape, with a Garda car parked outside. Beyond the tape, just outside the garden wall of the house, was an SUV, while two other vehicles were parked in the driveway of the property. 

An outside light was on over the entrance door to the house, which is one of the last homes on that side of the town.

Nearby, another grieving family were preparing for the funeral of a 94-year-old woman from Rockview Terrace, whose funeral Mass and burial were taking place on Monday afternoon.

In the centre of the town, traffic continuously passed through, including lorries, buses and agricultural vehicles. 

In the shops, locals chatted quietly among themselves about the horror of the popular postman’s death, with one woman who did not want to be identified, saying the incident was “needless and pointless”.

There was relief arrests had been made in the case but disbelief and horror at the events which had unfolded in the early hours of Sunday morning to plunge the local community into shock and grief. 

There was also a hint of people not knowing what to think, given many also knew the two men who were in custody.

Nestled in between buildings on the main street is a small Garda station, almost unnoticeable, apart from the blue lamp above its door. 

Gardaí came to and from the building from time to time as they worked on the case.

Nearby, a postman was carrying out mail deliveries, an ironic scene given Barry Daly had worked for more than eight years for An Post, and should have been carrying out his own deliveries in Mallow town on Monday as normal.

Instead, devastated colleagues in Mallow were trying to come to terms with his violent death, with An Post issuing a statement saying An Post staff, including the team at Mallow delivery unit, were deeply shocked and saddened by his untimely passing.

In parts of Doneraile, the red and green colours of the local GAA club blew proudly in the breeze, amid a constant fall of autumn leaves. 

The weekend and this week should have had a metaphorical spring in its step for Doneraile, but it was not to be. 

The joyous celebrations of Saturday when the local Junior B hurlers pulled off a victory over neighbouring Ballyclough to win the North Cork final are almost a distant memory already.

There are posters up around the area for other events to look ahead to in this historic town — a harvest thanksgiving festival scheduled for next Sunday, the annual Samhain Festival due to take place at the end of this month and into the early days of next month. 

Behind the walls of Doneraile Park a group of young school children were out for a walk, seemingly oblivious to the grief weighing heavy on the town.

Not far from the entrance to the popular park is a reminder that this town, along with Buttevant, was the location for the historic first recorded steeplechase in 1752. 

History is everywhere in Doneraile — from a sign boasting of its links to the origins of the steeplechase, to window displays of old photos, and the heritage of the renowned St Leger family who lived in Doneraile Park.

The team who lined out on Saturday for Doneraile have now also added themselves to the annals of local history. But in the annals now too is the violent death of one of the town’s own, beloved postman and family man Barry Daly.