The trial of three people charged with the murder of a 44-year-old postman outside his home in Co Cork last October has heard that one of the three allegedly remarked, “a five-iron imprinted in his face – I can’t wait to see him”.
The remark was heard as the jury watched and listened to CCTV recordings at the trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.
The trial has heard that postman Barry Daly died of catastrophic head and facial injuries inflicted with a golf club in the front garden of his home, in the village of Doneraile.
Alex Deady of Glen View, Convent Road, Doneraile, is one of three people charged with the murder of Mr Daly.
The other two are teenagers and cannot be named because of their age.
Mr Deady, 21, and one of the teenagers replied “not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter” when they were arraigned.
The second teenager replied “not guilty” when he was arraigned on the murder charge.
Detective Garda Paul O’Shea went through CCTV footage from Doneraile in the early hours of 12 October 2025.
The footage was obtained from numerous commercial and domestic properties in the village and was compiled into a compendium of footage which was played for Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and the jury.
Det Gda Caroline Hughes took photographs of scenes and evidence which included the broken-off head of a golf club close to where Mr Daly was found in his front garden.
She also photographed the shafts of golf clubs, another golf club head and a bent golf club which were also located around Doneraile in garda searches during the murder investigation.
Det Gda O’Shea identified the voice of Mr Deady from doorbell CCTV footage at Convent Road, Doneraile, that was recorded at 2.18am on 12 October 2025.
The recording was played and Mr Deady’s senior counsel Tom Creed read out a transcription by gardaí of what was heard: “Ha. See how bad my face is. I can’t wait to see Barry’s. Ha. A five-iron imprinted in his face – I can’t wait to see him. Ha. Oh when I see his face … I think I’ll just …”
Mr Creed asked Det Gda O’Shea: “It is your understanding that it is my client speaking?”
“Yes, it is my understanding that is Alex Deady speaking,” Det Gda O’Shea replied.
Mr Creed said of Mr Deady: “He believes (in the 2.18am recording) he will see the deceased again with an imprint of a golf club on his face?”
Det Gda O’Shea replied: “That is the comment he makes.”
Ray Boland defence senior counsel for the 16-year-old said there were three incidents or brawls on the streets of Doneraile before the incident at the front of Mr Daly’s home.
“He (the 16-year-old) stupidly told guards he was not out at all but obviously that is not correct,” Mr Boland said.
He went through the three brawls, the first at 1.28am on Main Street, the second seen from The Townhouse CCTV at 1.31am. He said the first sighting of his client was at 1.47am.
“He was not involved in either of those two brawls,” Mr Boland said.
He added that the 16-year-old appeared to have joined the 17-year-old and Mr Deady later.
Mr Boland said that, in footage of the three accused going towards the deceased’s house, Mr Deady appears to have a golf club, the 17-year-old has two and his client, the 16-year-old, has none.
On the way back, he has something in his hand and Mr Deady said to him: “I am not trying to be bad, like, but keep up, keep up, like, throw that away, don’t throw it away here.”
Mr Boland said: “This is the first time (the 16-year-old) is seen with an implement … And he was not involved in any of the three altercations.”
Senior counsel Alice Fawsitt said it was at 1.47am that her client, the 17-year-old, was first seen coming down the road with the 16-year-old.
Ms Fawsitt asked for a continuous segment of CCTV footage to be shown to the jury without interruption which showed the three brawls in the town that occurred between 1.28am and 1.36am.
Mr Creed said the girlfriend of Mr Deady could be seen walking away from one of the three incidents holding her mouth.
Mr Creed commented: “It is alleged she was struck in the face by the deceased.”
Referring to another moment where someone was knocked to the ground, Det Gda O’Shea said: “That is the deceased who is knocked to the ground (by a person identified as being other than any of the three defendants).”
The trial is due to continue on Monday.