Six people arraigned before jury panel over Dooley murder

Six people have been arraigned at the Central Criminal Court in Co Cork, charged with the murder of a 42-year-old father of seven in Tralee, Co Kerry, a year and a half ago.

Thomas Dooley died following an altercation at a funeral at Rath Cemetery in Tralee on 5 October 2022. His wife Siobhán was injured in the same incident.

Before the court were: 36-year-old Patrick Dooley of 32 Arbutus Grove, Killarney, Co Kerry; 43-year-old Thomas Dooley senior, of Bay 10, Halting Site, Carrigrohane Road, Co Cork; 21-year-old Thomas Dooley junior, of Bay 10, Halting Site, Carrigrohane Road, Co Cork; 29-year-old Michael Dooley of Bay 11, Halting Site, Carrigrohane Road, Co Cork; and 42-year-old Daniel Dooley, of An Caraigín, Connolly Park, Tralee, Co Kerry. The sixth person arraigned is a teenager.

All six pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Dooley when they were arraigned before the jury panel.

Thomas Dooley junior is also charged with causing serious harm to Siobhán Dooley on 5 October 2022 at Rath Cemetery in Tralee. He also pleaded not guilty when this charge was put to him.

Members of the jury panel were told by Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring that they should be available to serve until 31 July as the trial could last two months.

Jury selection continued for most of the day.

Seven members of the jury – six men and a woman – had been selected by the time Ms Justice Ring sent them home this afternoon.

She said the selection of the jury would continue on Tuesday morning and she asked the jury members to return then.