Man charged with murder in pub that left victim almost unrecognisable
A MAN has been charged with the murder of a father-of-four following an attack at a Co Cork pub.
Michael ‘Mike’ Dineen (27) was charged before Judge Aingeal Ní Chonduin at a special sitting of Mallow District Court yesterday.
The judge was told by Detective Sergeant James O’Shea that Mr Dineen made no reply when the charge was formally put to him at Fermoy garda station at 1.25pm yesterday.
Mr Dineen, of Ard Mhuileann, Ballinwillin, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, appeared in court wearing a hoodie-type top and tracksuit bottoms.
He remained silent during the brief hearing, speaking only to confer with his solicitor.
Mr Dineen was charged with the murder of Patrick ‘Ginty’ O’Donnell (36) at Willie Andie’s Pub, New Square, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, on Friday last.
As the charge involved is murder, bail can only be dealt with by the High Court.
The judge was told that the State’s application was for a remand in custody.
She then remanded Mr Dineen in custody to appear again before Fermoy District Court on Friday.
The judge also directed, at the request of the defence legal team, that Mr Dineen be provided with whatever medical assistance he might require while in custody.
The court was told that he was already on medication before the alleged events of last Friday.
The court granted free legal aid after hearing that Mr Dineen was in receipt of social welfare and had no other means of income.
Blood
Mr O’Donnell, whose youngest child was born just four months ago, was pronounced dead at the scene before he could be transferred to Cork University Hospital (CUH).
A post mortem was conducted at CUH by the State pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy.
While the results of the post mortem are not being released by gardaí for operational reasons, they are understood to indicate that Mr O’Donnell died from severe head injuries sustained in an assault.
Several of his teeth were shattered, such was the ferocity of the attack.
One source said that Mr O’Donnell suffered such extreme damage to his face and head that he had been left unrecognisable at the scene.
Part of his trachea was also blocked by the violence of the assault.
When Mr O’Donnell was discovered, he was lying in a pool of blood and onlookers initially feared that he had been stabbed.
The incident happened at 11pm last Friday in Willie Andies pub on the New Square in Mitchelstown, Co Cork – just metres from where a carnival had opened for the bank holiday weekend.
It is understood that a verbal disagreement had erupted between Mr O’Donnell and a man in his 20s. Both had been socialising in the popular pub at the time.
It is understood that a number of people witnessed both the incidents leading up to the assault and the aftermath.
When discovered, Mr O’Donnell was in a critical condition and bleeding profusely from multiple head and facial injuries.
Locals desperately tried to help him as they waited for the emergency services to come.
Gardaí and paramedics raced to the scene. However, despite desperate attempts to help Mr O’Donnell, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
His remains were kept at the pub overnight before being removed on Saturday to CUH.
Members of the O’Donnell family attended the scene. Prayers for the deceased were offered at all Masses in Mitchelstown yesterday.
Mr O’Donnell lived at Stagpark, just outside Mitchelstown, with his partner, Leanne, and their four children.
In a social media posting, Leanne was described as “the love of his life”.
He was described in the area as a man devoted to sport and the outdoors.
“He was a quiet lad; he loved hunting and you’d usually see him out and about with his dogs,” one local said.
Gardaí are checking CCTV security camera footage from business premises.