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. 5735Murder · Co. Kerry · 5 Oct 2022

Widow gives evidence at trial of six men accused of murdering Tom Dooley in Kerry

Thomas Dooley (43), a father of seven, was attacked by a group of men at Rath Cemetery in Tralee, Co Kerry, on 5 October 2022. Six men are accused of murdering him: Patrick Dooley, Daniel Dooley, Thomas Dooley Snr, Thomas Dooley Jnr, Michael Dooley and a teenager who cannot be named for legal reasons. The six men were arraigned at the Central Criminal Court in Cork before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and denied the murder charge. The prosecution opened its case on 4 June 2024, and on the third day of the trial the victim's widow, Siobhán Dooley, was questioned by defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC. The trial is continuing.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court4 Jun
    3 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Thomas Dooley was attacked by a group of men armed with bladed weapons, described in one report as different weapons.
  • He suffered a stab wound over six centimetres deep in his back that caused spinal shock, a 10 centimetre stab wound to his thigh that severed his femoral artery, and a chop injury to his right arm about 25 centimetres long.
  • The attackers taunted him as he lay bleeding in the graveyard.
Where
The attack took place at Rath Cemetery in Tralee, Co Kerry, also given as New Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee.
When
The incident occurred on 5 October 2022.
Cause
  • The two families stopped speaking in 2019 after a young woman refused to marry a young man from the other family.
  • The pathologist said the deceased had been stabbed four times.
Weapon
One accused was carrying two weapons as he approached the victim, and the widow testified that Patrick Dooley had a weapon in his hand.
Charges
  • The prosecution is basing its case on the doctrine of joint enterprise and common design.
  • All six accused deny the murder charge, and Thomas Dooley Jnr is also the only accused charged with causing serious harm to the widow.
In court
  • The trial is being heard at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, with a jury of 13 men and two women.
  • Prosecution counsel Dean Kelly SC opened the case on 4 June 2024 and urged jurors to set aside prejudice.
  • The widow, Siobhán Dooley, gave evidence and was cross-examined by defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC on the third day of the trial, which is continuing.
Other details
Patrick Dooley is the deceased's brother, reported as 36 in one article and 39 in another, of Arbutus Grove, Killarney; Thomas Dooley Snr, Daniel Dooley and Michael Dooley are brothers and cousins of the deceased, and Thomas Dooley Snr is also his brother-in-law.
35 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThomas Dooley was attacked by a group of men armed with bladed weapons. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe sustained a stab wound penetrating over six centimetres into his back causing spinal shock. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe sustained a stab wound penetrating 10 centimetres into his thigh which severed his femoral artery. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe sustained a chop injury to his right arm extending for some 25 centimetres. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatTom Dooley was attacked by a group of men armed with different weapons. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe attackers taunted Tom Dooley as he lay bleeding in the graveyard. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe murder took place at Rath Cemetery in Tralee, Co Kerry. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe attack took place at New Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe killing happened at Rath Cemetery in Tralee, Co Kerry. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe incident occurred on 5 October 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe attack happened on 5 October 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe killing happened on 5 October 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe two families stopped speaking after a young woman refused to marry a young man from the other family. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe pathologist said the deceased had been stabbed four times. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponOne accused was carrying two weapons as he approached the victim. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponThe widow testified that Patrick Dooley had a weapon in his hand. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe prosecution is basing its case on the doctrine of joint enterprise and common design. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeAll six accused deny the charge of murder. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeAll six accused deny the murder charge. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThomas Dooley Jnr is the only accused charged with causing serious harm to the widow. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial is being heard at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury consists of 13 men and two women. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtSix men denied murdering Tom Dooley. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe six men were arraigned before a jury panel and Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case is continuing. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial was in its third day when the widow was questioned by defence counsel. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe widow said she had been told the six men were accused of murdering her husband at a funeral in Kerry. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherPatrick Dooley was the brother of the deceased, being eight to nine years his junior. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThomas Dooley Snr, Daniel Dooley and Michael Dooley are brothers to each other and cousins of the deceased. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThomas Dooley Snr was also a brother-in-law of the deceased. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe Dooley family are described as a large Traveller family. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe victim was a father of seven. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe family had travelled from Killarney to attend a funeral in Tralee. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe victim's wife told the court that he urged her to run with their children. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe deceased, Tom Dooley, was 43. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 6 Jun2024
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Traveller families broke off contact after marriage rejection, widow tells murder trial

    Court report from the third day of the murder trial: the widow's evidence and defence cross-examination, the family dispute behind the case, and the charges and pleas of the six accused.

    victim, Tom Dooley, 43, male, irish (judged from name)Tom Dooleyvictim, Siobhán Dooley, female, irish (judged from name)Siobhán Dooleyaccused, Patrick Dooley, 36, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Dooleyaccused, Daniel Dooley, 42, male, named, irish (judged from name)Daniel Dooleyaccused, Thomas Dooley Snr, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooley Snraccused, Thomas Dooley Jnr, 21, male, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooley Jnraccused, Michael Dooley, 29, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Dooleyaccused, male
  2. 5 Jun2024
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    ‘Run, just run’: wife recalls graveyard attack on her husband at murder trial

    Trial report from the Central Criminal Court in Cork on 5 June 2024. Six men are accused of murder, and the victim's wife gave evidence. No existing case matches this trial.

    victim, Tom Dooley, 43, irish (judged from name)Tom Dooleyaccused, Patrick Dooley, 36, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Dooleyaccused, Daniel Dooley, 42, named, irish (judged from name)Daniel Dooleyaccused, Thomas Dooley snr, 43, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooley snraccused, Thomas Dooley jnr, 21, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooley jnraccused, Michael Dooley, 29, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Dooleyaccused, teenager
  3. 4 Jun2024
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Jury urged to leave Traveller prejudice behind in Kerry graveyard murder trial

    Opening of the prosecution case at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork; Dean Kelly SC outlined the evidence and urged the jury to set aside Traveller prejudice. The trial is ongoing.

    victim, Thomas Dooley, 43, male, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooleyvictim, Siobhán Dooley, female, irish (judged from name)Siobhán Dooleyaccused, Patrick Dooley, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Dooleyaccused, Daniel Dooley, 42, male, named, irish (judged from name)Daniel Dooleyaccused, Thomas Dooley Snr, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooley Snraccused, Thomas Dooley Jnr, 21, male, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Dooley Jnraccused, Michael Dooley, 29, male, named, irish (judged from name)Michael Dooleyaccused, male