Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 3638Sexual assault · Co. Cork · 23 Sep 2023

Daniel Connolly, 45, convicted of sexually assaulting six boys at McDonald's in Cork city

Daniel Connolly, 45, of Glengarriff, Co Cork, was convicted at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on all eight counts of sexually assaulting six boys aged six to 11 at a McDonald's outlet in Cork city on three separate dates in August and September 2023. A Galway psychotherapist who observed his behaviour with the children alerted gardaí, and the jury returned guilty verdicts after a five-day trial.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted7 Mar
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
8 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatDaniel Connolly was convicted of sexually assaulting six young boys at a fast-food outlet in Co Cork. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe children were aged between six and 11 at the time of the assaults. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatConnolly used Snapchat to make contact with the boys. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatConnolly took the boys swimming five or six times. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatConnolly bought the boys a football and collected them from the area where they lived. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court unanimously convicted him on seven of eight counts after three hours and 20 minutes of deliberation. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury found him guilty of the eighth count by a 10-2 majority verdict about 10 minutes later. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherConnolly took the boys to the toilet at the fast-food outlet where they stayed for five to 10 minutes. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 7 Mar2026
    Convictedirishtimes.com, first report
    Man (45) convicted of sexually assaulting six boys at fast-food outlet after psychotherapist alerted gardaí

    Reports the full conviction at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, including testimony from psychotherapist Karen Martin, details of how Connolly built a relationship with the boys via Snapchat and swimming trips, CCTV and video evidence, and the judge's pre-sentence orders.

    convicted, Daniel Connolly, 45, male, named, irish (judged from name)Daniel Connollyvictim, 6-11, male