Man jailed for life for murder of Barry Daly in Co Cork

Olivia Kelleher

A 21-year-old man has been jailed for life for the murder of a 44-year-old father of five who was attacked with a golf club outside his home in Doneraile, Co Cork, in October of last year.

In July, Alex Deady of Glenview, Convent Road in Doneraile was found guilty of the murder of Barry Daly, who was found in a pool of blood at Rockview Terrace in Doneraile in the early hours of October 12th, 2025.

His 17-year-old co-accused was also found guilty of murder at a retrial in Cork last month after the jury in the first trial, which began in

June found themselves unable to reach a verdict in the case.

A third defendant, aged 16, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the course of the first murder trial. His plea was accepted by the DPP.

Daly suffered a catastrophic jaw injury which left him unable to breathe as he was effectively swallowing blood.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster had told the jury that Daly died of injuries which were inflicted with a golf club.

A dispute had arisen after Daly hit the partner of Deady. Accounts varied as to whether he hit the woman accidentally or on purpose.

On Monday, at the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Cork, Judge Siobhan Lankford said that the “community of Doneraile changed forever” following the murder of Daly, which was described as a tragedy for all of the families involved as well as the town itself.

She said that it was clear from the victim impact statements that Daly was an “exceptional” person who showed tremendous kindness to others in his “all too short life.”

“(In his work as a postman) he was considerate of older people who many not have had anyone else. One elderly man said that he made time to chat with him and to bring him the newspaper. He said he felt he was alone as never before (following the death of Daly).

She said that the loss of Barry Daly had impacted not only on the family but on the wider community.

Judge Lankford said that the death of Daly had left a “huge hole” in the lives of his family and of that of his partner Katie O’Reilly. She said that the attack was “not a prolonged action.” However, it was “brutal” in nature.

A letter of apology from Alex Deady to the Daly family was previously read in to the record.

Deady said that what had occurred was never his intended outcome. He said that he understood that Daly’s children were without a father because of him.

“I think about it daily and will for the rest of my life. I understand ‘sorry’ will never bring Barry Daly back.”

Judge Lankford noted that Deady had offered a plea to manslaughter in the case which was not accepted by the DPP.

She said that whilst he acknowledged that he caused the death of he didn’t accept that he had the intention to kill. She said that there was no option in the case but to impose a sentence of life imprisonment.

Judge Lankford praised gardai for carrying out an “extraordinary” investigation in to the death of Barry Daly. She offered her condolences to the family of the deceased following their unimaginable loss.

Meanwhile, probation reports from the 17- and 16-year-old accused also detailed their feelings of deep sadness about what had occurred.

Ray Boland, SC, made a submission on behalf of the 16-year-old boy who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Daly. He said that the teen had had a “lesser role” than his two co-accused and had no involvement with the initial dispute with Daly.

The youth has no previous convictions. He is “getting on well” at Oberstown where he is completing various courses.

Alice Fawsitt, SC, representing the 17-year-old who was convicted of murder, said that her client had written a letter of apology to the Daly family.

In the letter, he said that he wasn’t asking for forgiveness as he can’t forgive himself for his actions.

Fawsitt said that the youth would like to work in Oberstown following the completion of his sentence if his criminal conviction doesn’t prove to be a stumbling block in this course of action.

Fawsitt said that he was “very ashamed” of his actions and was “genuinely remorseful.” The youth accepts the verdict of the jury in the case.

Both youths were remanded in detention in Obserstown Detention Centre for sentencing on September 11th next

At a previous hearing of the case Katie O’Reilly, the partner of twenty years of the late Barry Daly, said that once they found each other they “never left each other’s side.”

O’Reilly said that Father’s Day now means bringing their 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.

Barry has already missed so much. He missed Bodhi's first day of preschool. He will miss school achievements, graduations, first cars, first jobs, weddings and grandchildren.

Bodhi was only three years old (when his father died). He still runs to the door when it knocks, shouting for his daddy.”

She said that their son Jaxon contracted bacterial meningitis when he was three days old and spent almost two months in neonatal care fighting for his life. Fortunately, he survived. Barry was her “strength” during that period

She added that they planned to run away and get married quietly one day. They talked about “improving the house” and growing old together.

“He spoke often about grandchildren and joked that after all boys he deserved some granddaughters too.”