A murder trial has heard that a man who was attacked by a group of men in a Tralee cemetery was subjected to a violent and savage stabbing attack which led to his death in a very short time.
Thomas ‘Tom’ Dooley from Killarney had just entered Rath Cemetery in Tralee with his wife and four of their children for a funeral in October 2022, when it’s alleged he was set upon by the group who were armed with bladed weapons.
The Central Criminal Court heard that the late Tom Dooley, who was from Hazelwood Drive, Ballyspillane, was a thoroughly decent man, and a devoted father and husband.
43-year-old Thomas Dooley suffered three potentially fatal wounds – a six-and-a-half-centimetre stab wound into his back which caused spinal damage and spinal shock, a ten-and-a-half centimetre wound into his thigh which severed the femoral artery causing large blood loss, and a 23-centimetre chop wound to his right arm.
Prosecuting counsel Dean Kelly also told the jury that his wife Siobhan Dooley received a severe wound to her back which caused her serious harm.
He said Mr Dooley was attacked by a group of men who set out to inflict grave injury on him and were brazenly prepared to do so in broad daylight surrounded by people and if necessary, in front of his wife and children.
Six defendants – Patrick Dooley age 35 of Arbutus Grove, Killarney; 42-year-old Daniel Dooley of An Carraigín, Connolly Park, Tralee, 42-year-old Thomas Dooley Senior and his son Thomas Dooley Junior age 20, both of the Halting Site, Carrigrohane Road, Cork, 28-year-old Michael Dooley of the Halting Site, Carrigrohane, Cork and a teenage male appeared before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.
They’ve all pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas ‘Tom’ Dooley at Rath Cemetery, Tralee on October 5th, 2022.
Thomas Dooley Jnr also pleaded not guilty to a charge of intentionally or recklessly causing harm to Siobhan Dooley at Rath graveyard on the same date.
Prosecuting counsel Dean Kelly said that Patrick Dooley was the deceased man’s younger brother and that Thomas Dooley Senior was his brother-in-law. Thomas Senior, Daniel and Michael Dooley are brothers.
Mr Kelly said Mr Dooley was not involved in a fight or row that escalated from some trivial or petty dispute leading to the use of violence, Mr Dooley, the counsel said, did not do slights, insults or provocation.
The trial resumes today.
