Tralee man Ailbe Lonergan was last night found guilty of the murder of his brother at a New Year's Eve party last year.
Lonergan (31), of Quill Street, Tralee, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of his brother, Michael Lonergan (34), a father of five, at his home at Baloonagh Estate, Tralee, on December 31st, 2006.
The jury took two hours and seven minutes to return the unanimous verdict at the Central Criminal Court in Tralee.
Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed the mandatory life sentence, backdated to December 31st, 2006, when Lonergan was taken into custody shortly after stabbing his brother three times. The fatal wound was through the heart.
The seriously ill man was taken to hospital where he died some hours later from shock and haemorrhage as the result of stab wounds, a postmortem revealed.
His widow, Yvonne, who gave evidence during the two-week trial, said no words could explain the loss she and her children felt over Michael's "unfair and cruel death".
"It devastated me and it has left a huge hole in all his children's lives [ aged five to 15] whom he loved greatly . . . He was a devoted husband and father and to those who truly knew him he was a friend second to none. He would go out of his way to help those less fortunate than himself."
In a second impact statement on behalf of the parents and siblings of Michael Lonergan, his sister, Susan Curran, said their grief could never be put into words. The family were now facing the first anniversary of Michael's death in which they would have to relive the nightmare and the pain of losing him.
"As a family we are still trying to come to terms with this tragedy but no amount of anger, hate or bitterness can bring Michael back to us.
"To see our brother Ailbe in this unfortunate position breaks our hearts also.
"Also, remember his daughter, Shania, is deprived of her father's presence."
The family hoped that time would allow them to forgive so that their individual lives could move forward.
As this case concludes there was "only heartbreak", she said, while thanking the hospital and gardaí "from the depths of our broken hearts".
During the trial, evidence was given of a party involving days of drinking. Several witnesses - including his widow - said they were unaware Michael Lonergan used cocaine.
The dead man was found to have about one line of cocaine in his system at the time of his death, the nine men and three women of the jury heard.