This article is from page 4 of the 2011-01-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
FIVE men charged in connection with a row at a funeral in Ennis last week in which a young man had a finger cut off have been further remanded on bail.
Four men are charged with possession of a machete at Drumcliffe cemetery, Ennis, on Saturday, January 8. The accused are Martin Joyce (29), 2 Watery Road, Ennis; David Joyce (34), 8 Oakwood Drive, Ennis; Patrick Joyce (27), 6 Watery Road, Ennis and John Joyce Junior (30), of 17 Glensheen, Gort Road, Ennis.
All four, along with another defendant, John Joyce Senior (59), 1 Watery Road, Ennis; are accused of assault causing harm to Jim McDonagh, on the same date.
All five were brought before a special sitting of Ennis District Court last Sunday week, where they were granted bail. They re-appeared in court on Friday, where solicitor Gearóid Williams told Judge Eamon O’Brien that he was coming on record for three of the accused – John Joyce Senior, John Joyce Junior and Patrick Joyce. Solicitor William Cahir represents the other two defendants.
Judge O’Brien adjourned the case until next month, when the DPP’s directions are expected to be outlined to the court.
When the five appeared in court initially, gardaí objected to bail and described the alleged attack on a man in his 20s as a “deliberate, planned, premeditated” incident.
Inspector Tom Kennedy said that gardaí were opposing bail, based on the seriousness of the charges before the court. He said that Jim and Kathleen McDonagh and family members were attending a funeral at Drumcliffe cemetery, when a number of people arrived with machetes “and set upon Mr McDonagh. He was seriously assaulted. The little finger of his left hand was severed and serious injury (was caused) to his ring finger. He received blows to the head and body.
“This was a deliberate attack; a planned attack; premeditated, armed with these knives. Mr McDonagh is lucky the matter isn’t more serious,” said Insp Kennedy.
The armed regional support unit was drafted in to Ennis to support local gardaí, in the aftermath of the incident.