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. 2492Murder, violent disorder, assault causing harm · Co. Kildare · 22 Aug 2022

Dylan McCarthy murder trial: pathologist says cannot determine whether punch or kick caused fatal injury

At the Central Criminal Court trial of Sean Kavanagh and Calvin Dunne for the murder of Dylan McCarthy, 29, in Monasterevin, Co Kildare, the State pathologist told the jury she was unable to determine whether a punch or a kick caused the fatal blunt force trauma. Both defendants, who pleaded not guilty to murder and violent disorder, claim self-defence.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court16 Jan
    4 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
35 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatMcCarthy was unresponsive when an ambulance arrived and was pronounced dead the following day. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSome people were ejected from the Bellyard pub and a fight broke out in the foyer as McCarthy was being removed with his father. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatKavanagh and Dunne were walking by the premises when the fight broke out. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe State pathologist will testify that McCarthy suffered a subdural haemorrhage that caused his death. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe jury viewed CCTV footage from inside and outside the pub showing the movements of the accused and the McCarthy family. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA drink was spilt and a barman came out to clean the floor. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatAoife Talty tried to help the barman and he pushed her leg away. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatEamon McCarthy saw Dylan with his eyes rolling in his head and gurgling. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe also sustained a broken nose and a hairline fracture around one eye socket. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatBoth defendants claim they were acting in self-defence. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDonohue saw a middle-aged man walking away get hit with a fist from behind, knocking him to the ground. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe man ran for about a yard and a half before delivering the kick. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCCTV footage did not show McCarthy lying on his back when he received the kick. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatEdward Byrne, a patron of the Bellyard pub, saw a group of five people (three men and two girls) in the pub that night. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatJust after midnight, a barman came from behind the bar with kitchen roll and a mop because drink was spilt on the floor. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatOne of the women in the group tried to kick the mop, so the barman asked her to step back. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe State pathologist told the jury it is not possible to determine whether a punch or kick caused the fatal injury. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereDunne lives at Abbey View, Monasterevin. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereCalvin Dunne, 24, is of Abbey View, Monasterevin, Co Kildare. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenEamon McCarthy travelled from Limerick to Monasterevin on 21 August 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe group entered the Bellyard pub at around 11.45pm. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeDylan McCarthy died as a result of a traumatic head injury and spinal injury caused by blunt force trauma. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBoth pleaded not guilty to murdering McCarthy on or about 22 August 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBoth pleaded not guilty to violent disorder on 21 August 2022 at Dublin Road, Monasterevin. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeKavanagh pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm to Eamon McCarthy on the same date and location. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBoth men have pleaded not guilty to violent disorder on August 21, 2022, at Dublin Road, Monasterevin. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeKavanagh has pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm on Eamon McCarthy on the same date and location. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBoth defendants pleaded not guilty to the murder of McCarthy on or about August 22, 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBoth defendants pleaded not guilty to violent disorder on August 21, 2022, at Dublin Road, Monasterevin. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeKavanagh pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm on Eamon McCarthy, the father of the deceased, on the same date and location. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial is before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of 10 men and two women. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtEamon McCarthy gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court on Friday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtCCTV footage from inside and outside the pub was played in court. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of 10 men and two women. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial is before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of 10 men and two women at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 23 Jan2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Dylan McCarthy case: Not possible to say what blow caused fatal injury, murder trial hears

    Trial evidence from State pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers; details of the State's case and the defendants' self-defence claims; charges and pleas set out.

    victim, Dylan McCarthy, 29, male, irish (judged from name)Dylan McCarthyvictim, Eamon McCarthy, male, irish (judged from name)Eamon McCarthyaccused, Sean Kavanagh, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Sean Kavanaghaccused, Calvin Dunne, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Calvin Dunne
  2. 22 Jan2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Witness heard ‘loud thud’ as Dylan McCarthy’s head was kicked like ‘a football’, jury in murder trial told

    Witness testimony from Stephen Donohue (eyewitness to the kick) and Edward Byrne (pub patron) heard by the jury. Donohue described the kick as producing a 'loud thud' like 'kicking a football' and said McCarthy was 'barely moving' when struck. Byrne described the group of five in the pub and the escalation of the altercation. The trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs.

    victim, Dylan McCarthy, 29, male, irish (judged from name)Dylan McCarthyvictim, Eamon McCarthy, male, irish (judged from name)Eamon McCarthyaccused, Sean Kavanagh, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Sean Kavanaghaccused, Calvin Dunne, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Calvin Dunne
  3. 17 Jan2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Father of Dylan McCarthy tells court he knew his son ‘was gone’ when he saw him ‘gurgling’

    Testimony from Eamon McCarthy detailing the sequence of events at the Bellyard pub, his own injuries (fractured jaw, broken nose, hairline fracture to eye socket), and his observation of Dylan's condition; CCTV footage played in court; trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs.

    victim, Dylan McCarthy, 29, male, irish (judged from name)Dylan McCarthyvictim, Eamon McCarthy, male, irish (judged from name)Eamon McCarthyaccused, Sean Kavanagh, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Sean Kavanaghaccused, Calvin Dunne, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Calvin Dunne
  4. 16 Jan2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Pair accused of murdering man in Monasterevin claim they were acting in self-defence

    Covers the prosecution's opening speech at the trial, in which the defence's self-defence claim was outlined and the prosecution detailed the sequence of punches and the fatal kick, the circumstances at the Bellyard pub, and the pathologist's expected evidence of a subdural haemorrhage.

    victim, Dylan McCarthy, 29, male, irish (judged from name)Dylan McCarthyvictim, Eamon McCarthy, male, irish (judged from name)Eamon McCarthysuspect, Sean Kavanagh, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Sean Kavanaghsuspect, Calvin Dunne, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Calvin Dunne