‘There was a lot of blood’: Kerry cemetery murder trial hears testimony from paramedics
Paramedics responding to calls to a funeral at a cemetery in Tralee found a man lying unconscious on his back in a large pool of blood with lacerations to his right leg and right arm.
This evidence was given on Day eight of the trial of five men and a teenager charged with the murder of a father of seven at a funeral in Tralee in October 2022.
Ambulance paramedic, James McDonnell, testified that he and his colleagues were dealing with another matter at University Hospital Kerry after 11am that morning when they got a call to Rath cemetery. Initially it was reported that a woman had been stabbed.
On arrival, they were directed to the cemetery where there was a man on the ground: “There was one male lying on his back facing upwards. He had a lacerations to his right upper arm and femoral area. We had to strip clothing to deal with arterial bleeding. He was unresponsive and unconscious.
“We left the scene and brought him to hospital in Tralee and handed him over to the resuscitation team.”
Mr McDonnell’s colleague, Edel Jennings, testified about she saw: “We saw a gentleman lying on the ground, face up. We placed him on the trolley with the assistance of gardaí and we controlled the haemorrhage. He had lacerations to his right arm and right leg. There was a lot of blood.”
Paramedic Tommy Boyle gave similar evidence and said when the haemorrhage was controlled, CPR was commenced. “He had serious bleeding from his right femoral artery,” Mr Boyle said.
Paramedic Donal Mackey met Siobhán, also known as Bernadette, Dooley in Kelleher’s shop opposite the cemetery that morning. “There was a laceration from her right shoulder going down to her back. We dressed the wound and transported her to University Hospital Kerry,” Mr Mackey said.
Each of the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering 43-year-old Tom Dooley from Hazelwood Drive, Killarney, at New Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee, on October 5 2022.
Five defendants in the case — all with the surname Dooley — Patrick, 36, from Arbutus Grove, Killarney; Thomas, 43, from the halting site, Carrigrohane Road; Thomas Jnr, 21, from the halting site, Carrigrohane, Cork; Michael, 29, of the halting site, Carrigrohane, Cork, and Daniel, 42, of An Carraigin, Connolly Park, Tralee, County Kerry, are on trial, as is the sixth defendant who is a teenager.
Only 21-year-old Thomas Dooley Jnr faces the second charge that he intentionally or recklessly caused serious harm to Siobhán Dooley, the wife of the deceased man. He has pleaded not guilty plea in respect of this count also.
Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring told the jury at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork that the case was expected to go on until the end of July. The jury, including three substitute members, consists of 13 men and two women.
