The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: Families on grief, justice and one-punch attacks

Sharon Lynn and Bryan Gallagher discuss their loss, their experiences of the courts and their campaign for prevention and consistent sentencing

Families of one-punch attack victims call for change in the criminal justice system

Sharon Lynn lost her brother Martin in an unprovoked one-punch attack outside his own front door in Dublin in 2023. His killer has never expressed any remorse.

Cian Gallagher died following a similar attack in Tallow, Co Waterford, in 2022. After punching him, his assailant boasted to passers-by that he had knocked him out “like Conor McGregor”. Cian never woke up. He spent eight days in intensive care at Cork University Hospital before he died.

Both men died in entirely unprovoked attacks. Both were non-violent and made positive contributions to society.

Their siblings are now campaigning for greater attention to these random attacks, drawing on the Australian model. They want awareness campaigns, a focus on prevention and guidelines to ensure consistent sentencing.

In today’s episode, they discuss their families’ struggles with the criminal justice system, the reality of trying to grieve while enduring gruelling court proceedings, and how the attacks shattered their belief in justice.

They also talk about masculinity and how their experiences have highlighted the contrast between good men and those who glorify violence.

Sharon and Bryan are the guests on today’s episode of The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast.