*Photograph: David Crimmins
A JURY has found an Ennis man not guilty of the assault causing harm of a father of four at the Spancilhill Horse Fair in June 2023.
At Ennis Circuit Court, a jury delivered a majority verdict that Ned O’Donoghue (27) of Knockaneen, Tulla Rd, Ennis was not guilty of the assault causing harm of Ned Doherty at the fair on June 23rd 2023.
The jury also found Mr O’Donoghue not guilty of violent disorder at the same location on the same date.
On Wednesday afternoon, Judge Francis Comerford told the jury that they could deliver a majority verdict after they failed to reach a unanimous verdict from deliberating for two hours and 53 minutes.
The jury deliberated for a further five minutes before coming back to court to deliver their majority not guilty verdicts to allow Mr O’Donoghue walk free from court after the three day long trial.
Earlier in evidence in the case, assault victim, Ned Doherty said that he was assaulted by men armed with bars at the Spancilhill Horse Fair and told the court that he does not like members of the O’Donoghue family “because they burned my father’s grave”.
On Monday, Ned Doherty told a jury that three members of the O’Donoghue family assaulted him with bars as he was at a burger van at around 2pm with three of his young children aged 11, 8 and 4 at the time.
In the witness box, Mr Doherty of Ballymaley Ennis said that he was at the fair with his three sons looking to buy a pony for them when they decided to get burgers at a burger van.
He said while at the van, Ned O’Donoghue, Shane O’Donoghue and Alan O’Donoghue “hit me from behind”.
He said that he heard Shane O’Donoghue say ‘kill him, kill him, kill him’.
Mr Doherty said that Shane O’Donoghue and Alan O’Donoghue are his ‘double first cousins’ and Ned O’Donoghue “is my second cousin”.
He said, “They hit me a number of raps. They hit me down on the top of the head and across the body”.
Mr Doherty said that he was brought to hospital where he required 30 staples to his head for a head wound.
On behalf of Ned O’Donoghue, Martin Durack BL played a video which Mr Doherty posted on social media two days after the assault where he talks about ‘Connie’s Sohos’.
Mr Doherty said that he was referring to Connie O’Donoghue’s sons and grandsons.
Mr Durack asked him, “You don’t like these people do you?”
Mr Doherty said, “No – because they burned my father’s grave. They threw petrol on my father’s grave and burnt it. They said that they did it – the whole place was talking about it”.
Mr Durack said that this allegation of assault “is an opportunity to blame them for something”.
Mr Doherty said, “No – I saw them attack me. I saw their faces. I looked around and saw who hit me”.
Mr Durack said, “You have a vendetta against the O’Donoghues?” and Mr Doherty replied “No. I know who assaulted me. The three of them. I could see them clear as day”.
Mr Doherty confirmed to Mr Durack in front of the jury that he is currently in Castlerea prison.
Asked why he is there, Mr Doherty said, “I was done for money laundering”.
Mr Durack said “for dishonesty” and Mr Doherty said, “I thought it wasn’t dishonest”.
Mr Doherty was brought to court from Castlerea by prison officers.
At Garda interview when asked if he attended the Spancilhill Horse Fair on June 23rd 2023, Mr O’Donoghue replied “no comment”.
