The trial of six men charged with the murder of Thomas Dooley in a Tralee graveyard in October 2022 continues today.
Thomas Dooley, a father of seven, of Hazelwood Drive, Ballyspillane, Killarney, died following a fatal assault in Rath Cemetery on October 5th 2022.
His wife, Siobhán, was also seriously injured in the attack, and required 45 stitches and 30 staples to her right arm after sustaining a wound.
The trial got underway at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork at the end of May.
The six defendants have all pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Dooley.
The court heard the 43-year-old suffered fatal stab wounds to his back and legs during the assault.
All six defendants - Daniel Dooley from Connolly Park, Tralee; Michael Dooley of the Halting Site, Carrigrohane, Cork; Patrick Dooley of Arbutus Grove, Killarney; Thomas Dooley and his son Thomas Dooley Jnr - both of the Halting Site in Cork; and a teenage male who cannot be named for legal reasons – are before a jury and Ms Justice Ellen Ring.
Thomas Dooley Jnr also pleaded not guilty to a charge of intentionally or recklessly causing harm to Siobhan Dooley at Rath cemetery on the same date.
On Friday, Brendan Gahan, defense solicitor for Patrick Dooley, told the court his client is not a “Cainite” and did not murder his brother.
He added Patrick Dooley always accepted he was in the graveyard, but that he went to try and aid his brother and help him from the attack.
Brian McInnerney, senior counsel defending Danny Dooley compared the trial to a jigsaw puzzle - that there was a picture on the front of the box but inside there were blurred and missing pieces.
He added there was no forensic or phone evidence to link Danny Dooley to the murder.
Prosecuting barrister, Dean Kelly, previously told the court that the men accused of killing Thomas Dooley ran like rats from a sinking ship after carrying out a wild, brutal and ferocious attack.
He described the incident as a biblical atrocity where honour was offended, with a score settled in blood.
The trial continues before Ms Justice Ellen Ring today.
