Case No. 0576Manslaughter · Co. Kildare · 26 Oct 2025
Teenager jailed for five years for manslaughter of Ryan Weir Gibbons in Kildare
Ryan Weir Gibbons, 29, was assaulted by a group of youths in the Magee Terrace area of Kildare town in the early hours of 26 October 2025, sustaining a traumatic head injury when he fell to the ground after being punched following a scuffle on a bus. He was found unresponsive at about 3.15am and died at Naas Hospital on 30 October 2025. A murder investigation was launched following a post-mortem examination. Ryan Murphy, 19, of Curragh Plains, Kildare town, admitted the unlawful killing and was sentenced to five years in custody at Naas Circuit Court in July 2026.
- Reported26 Oct
4 reports - Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced18 Jul
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Ryan Weir Gibbons, 29, was assaulted by a group of youths in the Magee Terrace area of Kildare town in the early hours of 26 October 2025, following a scuffle on a bus.
- He sustained a traumatic head injury when he fell to the ground after being punched and died at Naas Hospital on 30 October 2025.
- Where
- The victim was found unresponsive on McGee Terrace (also reported as Magee Terrace), off Curragh Road, in the centre of Kildare town, near the local garda station, at approximately 3.15am.
- When
- The assault occurred in the early hours of Sunday 26 October 2025 and the victim died on Thursday 30 October 2025.
- Cause
- The victim sustained a traumatic head injury from falling to the ground after being punched.
- Investigation
- A murder investigation was launched by An Garda Síochána following a post-mortem examination, with results withheld for operational reasons.
- Gardaí appealed for road users with video or dash-cam footage from the area between 2:00am and 4:00am to provide it to Kildare Garda Station.
- Charges
- Ryan Murphy, 19, of Curragh Plains, Kildare town, admitted the unlawful killing of Ryan Weir Gibbons.
- In court
- Murphy was sentenced at Naas Circuit Court.
- Sentence
- Ryan Murphy was sentenced to five years in custody at Naas Circuit Court in July 2026.
- Other details
- The defendant was 18 at the time of the incident, had no previous gardaí attention, was a student in Carlow, and a rugby player who represented Leinster at youth level.
- The victim's family described him as having an infectious smile and being bubbly and full of life.
38 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA serious assault occurred in Kildare town in the early hours of 26 October 2025. (garda.ie)
- whatThe man has since died in hospital. (garda.ie)
- whatThe man has died in hospital (garda.ie)
- whatThe victim was a male in his 20s (garda.ie)
- whatThe victim was brought to Naas General Hospital where he remains in serious condition (garda.ie)
- whatThe victim was brought to Naas General Hospital where he remained in serious condition until his death on Thursday. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe man had earlier been out socialising and may have been on his way home when he was assaulted. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe victim suffered severe head injuries, including a suspected bleed to the brain. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe victim was attacked by a group of youths following an incident on a bus earlier in the evening. (irishtimes.com)
- whatRyan Weir Gibbons, 29, died on 30 October 2025 following an assault four days earlier (irishtimes.com)
- whatWeir Gibbons sustained a traumatic head injury when he fell to the ground after being punched (irishtimes.com)
- whatA scuffle followed on the bus and passengers and the bus driver tried to break it up (irishtimes.com)
- whatWeir Gibbons had his hands up and was trying to calm the situation (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe deceased swung a punch because things were not calming down (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe defendant struck Weir Gibbons and his head hit the ground (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe victim was found unresponsive on McGee Terrace (garda.ie)
- whereThe victim was found on McGee Terrace, Kildare town (garda.ie)
- whereThe victim was found unresponsive on Magee Terrace, off Curragh Road, in the centre of Kildare town, at about 3.15am. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe assault took place in the Magee Terrace area near the local garda station in Kildare town (irishtimes.com)
- whereWeir Gibbons died at Naas Hospital (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe victim was found at approximately 3:15am (garda.ie)
- investigationThe coroner has been notified and a post-mortem examination will take place. (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí are appealing for road users in the area between 2:00am and 4:00am to provide video footage including dash-cam. (garda.ie)
- investigationA post-mortem examination was carried out (garda.ie)
- investigationThe post-mortem results will not be released for operational reasons (garda.ie)
- investigationAn Garda Síochána commenced a murder investigation following the post-mortem (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí appealed for road users with video footage from the area between 2:00am and 4:00am (garda.ie)
- investigationThe scene is preserved for technical examination (garda.ie)
- investigationRoad users in the area between 2:00am and 4:00am with video or dash-cam footage are asked to provide it to investigating Gardaí (garda.ie)
- investigationA murder investigation was launched by gardaí into the death of a man seriously assaulted in Kildare town on Sunday. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationOne line of investigation is that the dead man had asked a group of youths to stop making noise. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA postmortem examination was carried out and its results were not released for operational reasons. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe investigation team at Kildare Garda station is seeking anyone in the vicinity of Magee Terrace between 2am and 4am on Sunday. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationTwo individuals went to the Garda station and two ambulances attended the scene (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceRyan Murphy was sentenced to five years in custody at Naas Circuit Court (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe defendant was 18 at the time of the incident (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe defendant was a student in Carlow and a rugby player who represented Leinster at youth level (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe victim's family described him as having an infectious smile and being bubbly and full of life (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 18 Jul2026Family of Ryan Weir Gibbons tells of ‘unimaginable grief’ as teenager jailed for his death
Reports the sentencing of Ryan Murphy to five years for manslaughter, including detailed account of the bus altercation and subsequent punch, the judge's remarks, and a statement from the victim's family.
victim, Ryan Weir Gibbons, 29, male, irish (judged from name)Ryan Weir Gibbonsconvicted, Ryan Murphy, 19, male, named, irish (judged from name)Ryan Murphy - 31 Oct2025Murder investigation begins after man dies following Kildare town attack
Initial report of the assault and death; murder investigation launched after postmortem examination. Details the circumstances of the attack, the victim's injuries, and the gardaí appeal for witnesses.
victim, Ryan Gibbons, 20s, male, irish (judged from name)Ryan Gibbons - 26 Oct2025Witness Appeal - Serious Assault, Kildare town - 26th October 2025
Initial Garda witness appeal issued 25 October 2025; scene preserved for technical examination; road users with video or dash-cam footage between 2:00am and 4:00am requested.
victim, 20s, male - 26 Oct2025Update (2): Witness Appeal - Serious Assault, Kildare town - 26th October 2025
Initial witness appeal issued after the victim's death; murder investigation commenced following post-mortem examination. Results of the post-mortem withheld for operational reasons.
victim, 20s, male - 26 Oct2025Update: Witness Appeal - Serious Assault, Kildare town - 26th October 2025
Gardaí witness appeal update confirming the victim has died in hospital; post-mortem examination pending; appeal for dash-cam and video footage from road users in the area between 2:00am and 4:00am.
victim, 20s, male