Boy (14) drove father away from machete attack in Ennis

A 14-year-old boy drove his injured father and a 20-month-old baby away from the scene of a frenzied machete attack, a court has heard.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Gerald Keys said father-of-10 Bernard McDonagh had suffered “extraordinary injuries” in “an appalling event” that occurred as he was collecting his children from school in Ennis on May 18th, 2010.

In the attack Mr McDonagh had his right ring finger cut off and sustained multiple injuries to his head and body as he was beaten by three men armed with a machete and two iron bars.

Severed finger

Before taking control of the car to drive to the nearby Ennis General Hospital, Mr McDonagh’s son John recovered his father’s severed finger and wrapped it in tissue, but doctors could not reattach it.

Judge Keys jailed Michael McDonagh for four years with one year suspended and his brother, Anthony McDonagh, for three years with one year suspended for their combined assault on Bernard McDonagh. They are second cousins of the injured man.

Michael McDonagh (34) of Kilcruttin halting site, Kilcruttin, Tullamore, Co Offaly, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm, while Anthony McDonagh (28), Ardrew Walk, Dun Brinn, Athy, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to causing harm to Bernard McDonagh.

Jailed

A third brother, Patrick McDonagh, was previously jailed for three years for his role in the attack.

Judge Keys said Bernard McDonagh “could have been killed” in what he described as an “absolutely outrageous incident”. The judge said the feuding between Travellers “has to stop”.

Michael McDonagh used a machete in the attack while his two brothers used iron bars.

In a victim impact statement, Bernard McDonagh said he had been the victim of “a senseless attack and my life will never be the same again”.

The attack had badly affected his son John, daughter Linda (seven) and grandson Marcus. “My life has been destroyed by what happened.”