The trial of a man accused of the manslaughter of his father last September opened at Tralee Circuit Court at Listowel, Co Kerry, before a jury and Judge Carroll Moran yesterday and is expected to continue for several days.
The court heard that Jeremiah McDonagh (55) died from injuries two days after a chair leg went through his eye socket and damaged his brain during a domestic row. A rubber stopper from the chair was removed from his brain.
Mr Thomas McDonagh (29), Moyderwell, Tralee, is pleading not guilty to the unlawful killing of his father, Mr Jeremiah McDonagh, at Ballygologue Park, Listowel, his father's house, on September 25th, 2002.
The court was told that the accused made three 999 emergency calls on the night of September 25th and tapes of the calls were played to the jury.
Mr John Edwards SC, for the prosecution, said there had been a series of disagreements and rows between the accused and his father over money the father had received in compensation. The accused had pestered his father for some of the money.
Mr James Lyons, who was working in the ambulance control base at Tralee when the 999 calls came through, said the first call was received from Thomas McDonagh at 21.43 p.m., on September 25th.
Mr McDonagh said he needed an ambulance, stating that his father had been hit on the eye by somebody. He also said his father was bleeding a lot.
Mr Lyons said he called the Listowel stand-by ambulance staff at 21.48 p.m. He received another 999 call from the accused, who sounded "panicked", at 21.55 p.m. The third call was at 22.12 p.m. and the ambulance arrived at 22.15 p.m.
The case continues today.