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. 5388Murder · Co. Kerry · 5 Oct 2022

Michael Dooley convicted of murdering Thomas Dooley at Kerry funeral

A Central Criminal Court jury unanimously convicted Michael Dooley of murdering Thomas Dooley, who was attacked with bladed weapons while attending a funeral at Rath Cemetery in Tralee, Co Kerry, on October 5, 2022. Five of the six defendants have now been convicted, and the verdict on the sixth, Daniel Dooley, is still awaited.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted23 Jul
    2 reports
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
25 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatMichael Dooley was one of six accused who denied the murder of his cousin, Tom Dooley. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMichael Dooley was found guilty of murder. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe killing happened at Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe murder took place at Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee, Co Kerry. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe murder took place on 5 October 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe murder occurred on October 5, 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeThomas Dooley was violently attacked by six men as he attended a funeral. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeThomas Dooley suffered four stabbing injuries, one of which severed his femoral artery and caused fatal blood loss. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe attackers were armed with bladed weapons. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponA pathologist said some injuries could have been inflicted by a machete-type weapon. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMichael Dooley was convicted in the Central Criminal Court, becoming the fifth defendant convicted. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMichael Dooley protested his innocence after the verdict was read out in the Cork courtroom. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury convicted three other men and a teenager of the murder before Michael Dooley's verdict. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtPatrick Dooley was found guilty after telling the court he had been trying to help rather than attack his brother. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury was still deliberating on the case of Danny Dooley, the last accused. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial began at the start of June. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMs Justice Mary Ellen Ring presided over the trial. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe Central Criminal Court jury unanimously accepted the prosecution's case against Michael Dooley. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMichael Dooley had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe jury has convicted five of the six defendants of murdering Thomas Dooley. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtDaniel Dooley has pleaded not guilty to murdering Thomas Dooley, and the jury's verdict on him is still awaited. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMichael Dooley said he was an innocent man. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe victim's widow told the court that all six men were armed with weapons and attacked her husband as he fell to the ground. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMichael Dooley said he had not harmed his cousin and that an innocent man was going to prison. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThomas Dooley was 42 years old. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 23 Jul2024
    Convictedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Man convicted of Kerry funeral 'honour killing' proclaims himself 'innocent'

    Reports the jury verdict convicting Michael Dooley of murder, his protest of innocence, and the convictions of other defendants in the same trial; Daniel Dooley's verdict is pending.

    convicted, Michael Dooley, 29, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Dooleyvictim, Thomas Dooley, 42, male, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooleyconvicted, Patrick Dooley, 36, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Dooleyconvicted, Thomas Dooley Senior, 43, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooley Seniorconvicted, Thomas Dooley Junior, 21, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooley Juniorconvicted, teenager, male, irish (judged from name)accused, Daniel Dooley, 42, named, irish (judged from name)Daniel Dooley
  2. 23 Jul2024
    Convictedirishtimes.com, first report
    ‘I’m an innocent man’: Fifth person convicted of Kerry graveyard murder protests in court

    Reports the conviction of Michael Dooley, the fifth defendant convicted, and that Thomas Dooley Snr, Thomas Dooley Jnr, Patrick Dooley and a teenager were convicted earlier; Danny Dooley's verdict was still awaited. Includes Michael Dooley's protest of innocence and evidence from the victim's widow.

    victim, Tom Dooley, 42, male, irish (judged from name)Tom Dooleyconvicted, Michael Dooley, 29, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Dooleyconvicted, Thomas Dooley Snr, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooley Snrconvicted, Thomas Dooley Jnr, 21, male, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooley Jnrconvicted, Patrick Dooley, 36, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Dooleyconvicted, teenageraccused, Danny Dooley, 42, male, named, irish (judged from name)Danny Dooley