The five men found guilty of murdering a 43-year-old father at a Tralee graveyard have all been sentenced to life in prison.
Father of seven, Thomas Dooley from Ballyspillane in Killarney was killed in front of his wife, Siobhan, and their four youngest children.
He was set upon by the armed group of five men and a minor, while he and his family attended the funeral of a family friend at Rath cemetery on the 5th October 2022.
Mandatory life sentences were given to the victim's 36 year old brother, Patrick Dooley, of Arbutus Grove, Killarney; the victim's brother in law 43 year old Thomas Dooley Snr, his cousin 21 year old Thomas Dooley Junior, both of the Halting Site, Carrigrohane Road in Cork; his 42 year old cousin Daniel Dooley, of An Carraigin, Connolly Park, in Tralee; and 29-year-old Michael Dooley of the Halting Site, Carrigrohane, Cork.
A sixth man, a juvenile also convicted of the murder, will be sentenced later this year.
Senior Council for the state, Dean Kelly said tension had occurred when a relationship between one of the late Mr Dooley’s daughters and one of the accused men had “broken down.”
Thomas Dooley Jnr will also serve a concurrent four and a half year sentence for intentionally or recklessly causing harm to the deceased man's widow, Siobhan Dooley, at the cemetery on the same date.
She received a foot long wound to her shoulder which required 45 stitches and 30 surgical staples.
Ms Justice Ring said the violence in this case was totally unwarranted and to "do that in front of his young children was unforgivable”.
