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The Journal
2 days ago
- The Journal
Inquest into fatal assault of former Limerick sports star Alan Bourke set for October
AN INQUEST INTO the violent death of a father-of-one and former Republic of Ireland youth soccer star in Limerick City three years ago has been scheduled to take place in October. Alan Bourke, (48), of St Mary's Park, Limerick, was fatally assaulted by Michael Casey, (40), of Cathedral Place, at Parnell Street, Limerick City, on 15 April, 2022. Casey, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter of Mr Bourke, was jailed for six years for the attack. The inquest has been scheduled at Limerick Coroner's Court on 22 October. Casey's sentencing hearing heard that he assaulted Mr Bourke after a man in his company stole a bag of cans of alcohol from Mr Bourke, who had tried to get it back off the man. Limerick Circuit Court heard that paramedics tended to Mr Bourke at the scene, however, he was pronounced dead as he was being brought by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick. Mr Bourke, a well known former manager at a tool plant, had fallen on hard times due to struggles with alcohol, the court heard. Formerly a rising soccer star, Mr Bourke won a Munster Junior Cup medal with Mungret Regional FC in 1994 and was capped for the Republic of Ireland junior team in 1996. His funeral mass heard he had been a top-class sportsman and had excelled at soccer, rugby and handball. On the night he died, Mr Bourke and a friend left sheltered accommodation in Limerick City to go begging in order to get money to buy alcohol, the court heard. CCTV footage played at Casey's sentencing hearing showed Mr Bourke walking his bicycle, a suitcase containing clothes and a sleeping bag, as he went to meet up with his friend again. Mr Bourke had purchased ten cans of beer and was walking near Colbert Rail Station when he was accosted by Casey and others. Advertisement Prosecuting senior counsel, Anne Rowland SC, told the court that Casey struck Mr Bourke with a 'violent and aggressive blow' after another man who was in Casey's company, who was not before the court, had allegedly taken cans and would not give it back. The CCTV footage played in court showed Mr Bourke falling backwards and his head striking the pavement. Ms Rowland said Casey and the others 'callously' walked away taking Mr Bourke's belongings as he 'was lying on the ground completely motionless'. A post-mortem examination report on Mr Bourke's body stated he suffered a brain hemorrhage, fractured skull, as well as bruising to his face and forehead. The court heard that while Casey was being held in custody following his arrest for the attack on Mr Bourke, he told gardaí: 'It was an accident…I was friends with Alan, we laughed and cried together, I hit him, I was drunk, he was drunk…I'm really sorry, and sorry to his family.' Mr Bourke's sister, Diane, described him as 'a loving son, father and friend to many' and said her and her family's lives 'changed forever' after his death. 'Alan had the biggest heart and was the apple of his late mother's eye. We try to remember how he lived and not how he died,' she said. 'I avoid Parnell Street at all costs, it is awful to be scared all the time in your own city. I'm not Alan's sister anymore, I'm the girl whose brother was killed.' Sentencing judge, Dermot Sheehan, said Mr Bourke excelled at sport, but was vulnerable later in his life, and he sadly had been experiencing homelessness around the time of his death. 'It was a significant assault, it was a dispute over a bag of cans,' the judge said. Michael Casey, was previously jailed after he and his cousin David Casey, (31), Coolock, Dublin, had pleaded guilty to burglaries, including at the home of pensioner bachelor, John O'Donoghue, on 27 August, 2015. Mr O'Donoghue (62), Toomaline, Doon, Co Limerick, collapsed and died after he came upon the pair who ran off without helping. In 2018, the Court of Appeal increased Michael Casey and David Casey's sentences for the burglary from three and a half years to seven years with the final eight months suspended after it found their original sentences were unduly lenient. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
BreakingNews.ie
19-05-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Limerick hurler Kyle Hayes sentenced to 180 hours community service in lieu of jail term
Kyle Hayes was back in court Monday, less than 24 hours after he was named man of the match in Limerick's crushing 16-point defeat of Cork in the fourth round of the Munster senior hurling championship on Sunday. Sitting in the dock at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, Hayes waited silently for confirmation he would serve 180 hours of community service in lieu of three months in jail, as previously indicated by judge Dara Hayes, no relation to the GAA ace. Advertisement After confirming the order, however, the judge warned Hayes he would be going to prison if he committed further criminal offences. Last April, the judge indicated he would impose the community service order in lieu of Hayes serving three months of an 18-month suspended jail sentence previously imposed on him. The suspended jail term was imposed on the Limerick centre-back after a jury convicted him on two counts of committing violent disorder, inside and outside the Icon nightclub, Limerick, in 2019 - charges he denied at a trial in 2023. On Monday, the judge reminded Hayes that all of the relevant legal 'obligations and requirements' on the hurler had been 'explained' to him. The judge warned that 'non-compliance' with the order would see the All-Star hurler going to jail. Advertisement Addressing Hayes, the judge said: 'If there is non-compliance you will be brought back before the court and the [three-month] sentence will be imposed.' Hayes looked at the judge and replied: 'Yes, judge.' The judge said he would make 'no order' on the hurler's second conviction for violent disorder, in respect of the same night at the nightclub in 2019. The terms of the judgment order, specifically, where and when Hayes will be starting his community service, were not disclosed in court. Advertisement Judge Hayes said the hurler must complete the community service order within 12 months from today. Hayes, who was named Man of the Match last Sunday following Limerick's sterling defeat of Munster rivals Cork in the fourth round of the Munster senior hurling championship, held at the Gaelic Grounds, arrived in court before 10.30am on Monday morning and waited until his case was called after lunch. Hayes's barrister, senior counsel Brian McInerney, confirmed to the court that the probation service had deemed the hurler suitable for community service in lieu of the jail sentence. 'A suitable service has been selected and all other matters have been satisfied,' Mr McInerney told the court. Advertisement Hayes (26), of Ballyahsea, Kildimo, Co Limerick, appeared as part of long-standing 'Section 99 Re-entry' proceedings. The hearing was initially triggered after Hayes engaged in dangerous driving at Mallow, Co Cork, four months after the violent disorder, concurrent suspended sentences of 18 months and two years were imposed on him in March 2024. On July 14th, 2024, Hayes was recorded by a Garda overtaking nine cars in a row on a stretch of the N20 Cork- Limerick dual carriageway, whilst driving 55kph above the 100kph speed limit. Hayes subsequently lost an appeal against the driving conviction on March 12th, 2025, for which he was given a two-year driving ban and fined €250. Advertisement Ireland Limerick hurler Kyle Hayes deemed suitable for com... Read More Previously summarising the events from the Icon nightclub, Judge Hayes said the Limerick hurler was one of two men who 'aggressively approached' self-employed carpenter, Cillian McCarthy, and that Hayes was one of a group of four males who later on 'attacked' Mr McCarthy inside the nightclub. The judge said two gardaí gave evidence at Hayes's trial that they saw the hurler kicking a man lying on the street outside the nightclub on the night, but the judge said there was no evidence before the court that the man on the ground was Cillian McCarthy. The judge said the trial jury acquitted Hayes of a third charge, assault causing harm to Mr McCarthy. He said Kyle Hayes had paid €10,000 in damages to Mr McCarthy as part of the terms of the suspended sentences imposed on him. Judge Hayes said sworn testimony by Kyle Hayes's father, Liam Hayes, who told the court that he depended on Kyle to help him run their family farm after he underwent heart surgery, had not assisted nor swayed him in its final judgement.
Sunday World
28-04-2025
- Sunday World
Limerick hurling star Kyle Hayes deemed suitable for community service instead of jail time
BREAKING | Hayes has been deemed suitable for 180 hours of community service in lieu of three-months in jail Kyle Hayes Hayes (26) of Ballyahsea, Kildimo, Co Limerick, appeared before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, Monday, as part of 'Section 99 Re-entry' proceedings. Should Hayes face jail time, it would mean he could not play for the Limerick senior team this season. Kyle Hayes The hearing was triggered after Hayes engaged in dangerous driving at Mallow, Co Cork, four months into a two-year suspended sentence that was imposed on him in March 2024, after a jury convicted him of committing violent disorder at the Icon nightclub, Limerick, on October 28, 2019. On July 14, 2024, Hayes was recorded by a garda overtaking nine cars in a row on a stretch of the N20 Cork-Limerick dual carriageway, whilst driving 55kph above the 100kph speed limit. Hayes subsequently lost an appeal against the driving conviction on March 12 last, for which he was given a two-year driving ban and fined €250. Today, Hayes' barrister, senior counsel, Brian McInerney, told Limerick Circuit Court judge Colin Daly that Hayes had fully engaged with the Probation Service after the court had requested the service report on his suitability for community service in lieu of the court activating three months of the hurler's two-year suspended sentence for violent disorder. Mr McInerney said the service had deemed Hayes suitable for work in the community, but he did not disclose what type of work the hurler would take on. Judge Daly adjourned the matter to May 19 for the community service order to be finalised by Judge Dara Hayes, who had heard the matter previously. Judge Hayes told a hearing of the Section 99 matter last month that he would jail Hayes for three months if he was deemed unsuitable for the community service order. Summarising the events from the Icon nightclub, Judge Hayes said Kyle Hayes was one of two men who 'aggressively approached' the injured party Cillian McCarthy inside the nightclub and that, later on, Kyle Hayes was one of a group of four males who 'attacked' Mr McCarthy on the dance-floor of the nightclub. The judge said two gardaí had given evidence at Hayes's trial that they saw the hurler kicking a man, who was lying on the street outside the nightclub, but the judge said this man was not Cillian McCarthy. The judge said the trial jury acquitted Hayes of a charge of assault causing harm to Mr McCarthy and that Hayes had paid €10,000 in damages to Mr McCarthy as part of the terms of his two-year suspended sentence. Judge Hayes said sworn testimony given to the court by Kyle Hayes's father, Liam Hayes, that he depended on Kyle to help him run their family farm after he had undergone heart surgery 'did not assist' nor 'persuade' him in his decision to order community service in lieu of a jail sentence. Hayes's barrister told the judge that his client's brothers, who are both in jail in relation to an entirely separate criminal matter which did not involve Kyle Hayes, were not in a position to help out their father on the farm. Last January, Daragh Hayes (37) and Cian Hayes (33) were jailed for two and a half years, and two years respectively, after they pleaded guilty to one count of an unprovoked assault on their neighbour and friend, Ciaran Ryan, causing him harm, and to one count of producing a hurley and a large wrench they used to beat Mr Ryan, causing him serious injuries.
Irish Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Limerick hurler Kyle Hayes deemed suitable for 180 hours community service
All-Star hurler Kyle Hayes has been deemed suitable for 180 hours of community service, in lieu of three-months in jail after he breached the terms of a two-year suspended sentence for violent disorder. Hayes, (26), of Ballyahsea, Kildimo, Co Limerick, appeared before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, Monday, as part of 'Section 99 Re-entry' proceedings. The hearing was triggered after Hayes engaged in dangerous driving at Mallow, Co Cork, four months into a two-year suspended sentence that was imposed on him in March 2024, after a jury convicted him of committing violent disorder at the Icon nightclub, Limerick, on October 28th, 2019. On July 14th, 2024, Hayes was recorded by a Garda overtaking nine cars in a row on a stretch of the N20 Cork- Limerick dual carriageway, whilst driving 55kph above the 100kph speed limit. Hayes subsequently lost an appeal against the driving conviction on March 12th last, for which he was given a two-year driving ban and fined €250. Today, Hayes' barrister, senior counsel, Brian McInerney, told Limerick Circuit Court Judge Colin Daly that Hayes had fully engaged with the Probation Service after the court had requested the service report on his suitability for community service in lieu of the court activating three months of the hurler's two-year suspended sentence for violent disorder. Mr McInerney said the service had deemed Hayes suitable for work in the community, but he did not disclose what type of work the hurler would take on. Judge Daly adjourned the matter to May 19th for the community service order to be finalised by Judge Dara Hayes, who had heard the matter previously. Judge Hayes told a hearing of the Section 99 matter last month that he would jail Hayes for three months if he was deemed unsuitable for the community service order. Summarising the events from the Icon nightclub, Judge Hayes said Kyle Hayes was one of two men who 'aggressively approached' the injured party Cillian McCarthy inside the nightclub and that, later on, Kyle Hayes was one of a group of four males who 'attacked' Mr McCarthy on the dance-floor of the nightclub. The judge said two gardaí had given evidence at Kyle Hayes's trial that they saw the hurler kicking a man, who was lying on the street outside the nightclub, but the judge said this man was not Cillian McCarthy. The judge said the trial jury acquitted Hayes of a charge of assault causing harm to Mr McCarthy and that Hayes had paid €10,000 in damages to Mr McCarthy as part of the terms of his two-year suspended sentence. Judge Hayes said sworn testimony given to the court by Kyle Hayes's father, Liam Hayes, that he depended on Kyle to help him run their family farm after he had undergone heart surgery 'did not assist' nor 'persuade' him in his decision to order community service in lieu of a jail sentence. Hayes's barrister told the judge that his client's brother's, who are both in jail in relation to an entirely separate criminal matter which did not involve Kyle Hayes, were not in a position to help out their father on the farm. Last January, Daragh Hayes (37) and Cian Hayes (33) were jailed for two and half years, and two years respectively, after they pleaded guilty to one count of an unprovoked assault on their neighbour and friend, Ciaran Ryan, causing him harm, and to one count of producing a hurley and a large wrench they used to beat Mr Ryan, causing him serious injuries.
