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A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after a jury found him guilty of killing a father-of-five who was struck outside his home in Doneraile, Co. Cork. Two younger defendants were also implicated in the case: one convicted of murder at a retrial and a 16-year-old who pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Guilty verdicts and sentence
Last month a jury convicted 21-year-old Alex Deady of the murder of 44-year-old Barry Daly. The attack took place in the early hours of 12 October 2025 at Rockview Terrace, Doneraile, where Mr Daly was found in a pool of blood.
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A second defendant, aged 17, was found guilty of murder at a retrial after jurors in the original trial were unable to reach a verdict. A 16-year-old pleaded guilty to manslaughter during the first trial and that plea was accepted.
The attack and medical evidence
Assistant State pathologist Dr Margot Bolster told the jury Mr Daly suffered catastrophic injuries to his jaw and died after effectively being unable to breathe because he was swallowing blood.
Medical testimony linked the fatal injuries to blows from a golf club. The evidence presented in court said the confrontation began after an incident in which Mr Daly had struck Deady’s partner; witnesses gave differing accounts as to whether that contact was accidental or intentional.
Court remarks and impact
At the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork, Judge Siobhán Lankford said the killing had altered the fabric of the town. She described the loss as a tragedy for both families involved and for the wider Doneraile community, saying it had “changed forever”.
Victim impact statements, the judge noted, portrayed Mr Daly as an “exceptional” man who routinely showed kindness to others. In his work as a postman he was said to have cared for elderly residents, making time to chat and deliver newspapers.
Judge Lankford characterised the assault as short in duration but “brutal” in effect. She told the court there was no sentencing option but to impose life imprisonment and praised the gardaí for an “extraordinary” investigation. She offered condolences to the Daly family.
Apologies, pleas and legal responses
A letter from Deady to the Daly family was read to the court in which he apologised and accepted he had caused the death, while insisting that killing was not his intention. He wrote: “I think about it daily and will for the rest of my life. I understand ‘sorry’ will never bring Barry Daly back.”
The judge noted Deady had offered to plead to manslaughter, but that proposal was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The court heard submissions that the 16-year-old played a lesser role and had no part in the initial dispute.
Rehabilitation, remorse and next steps
Counsel for the 16-year-old told the court the youth had no previous convictions and was “getting on well” at Oberstown, where he was taking courses. Probation reports for both the 17- and 16-year-olds described deep sadness about the incident.
Counsel for the 17-year-old said her client had written an apology to the Daly family and was “genuinely remorseful”, adding he hoped to work in Oberstown after serving his sentence if his conviction did not prevent him from doing so.
Both juveniles were remanded to Oberstown Detention Centre and are due to be sentenced on 11 September.
Family testimony
Mr Daly’s partner of 20 years, Katie O’Reilly, told the court how the family’s life had been upended. She said Father’s Day now means taking their children to his grave with balloons, and listed milestones her partner will not see — from school achievements to weddings and grandchildren.
She described Barry as her strength when their son Jaxon was critically ill as a newborn, and recalled the quiet plans the couple had made for the future. Their son Bodhi was three when his father died; Ms O’Reilly said he still runs to the door calling for his daddy.
