Court hears how children dove for cover as shots fired during 'pandemonium' of attack on Midlands halting site

by Alison O'Riordan

A court has heard how there was "pandemonium" in Tullamore, with shots fired and children searching for cover, when a large group from a halting site attacked a nearby "unofficial" site in the wake of a violent row outside a hospital.

Two brothers have gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with trying to murder another pair of brothers living at the unofficial site in Offaly last year.

The court has heard that the victims were shot in the chest, neck and face - with pellets from a shotgun "embedded" in their bodies next to vital organs. The victims will tell the jury that they had known the men who shot them for years.

Prosecuting barrister, Kevin White SC, told the jurors today, Thursday, they will hear "just how lucky" the victims were that it was not a fatal shooting.

Patrick Ward (38) of Kilcruttin, Tullamore, is charged with attempting to murder Anthony McDonagh at the site on March 21, 2025. John Pio Ward (42) of the same halting site, is charged with the attempted murder of Michael McDonagh at the same location and on the same date.

Both men face further charges of the possession of firearms and violent disorder, at Kilcruttin halting site on the same date.

The two accused have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

In his opening address today (Thursday), Mr White told the jurors that they would hear from the two injured parties in the case; Anthony McDonagh and Michael McDonagh. Counsel said the McDonaghs occupy an unofficial halting site at Kilcruttin, which has a number of trailers and mobile homes with men, women and children living there.

Mr White said that quite close to where the McDonaghs were living is the official Kilcruttin halting site, which is occupied by members of the Ward family, including the two accused men.

The barrister said despite the Ward and McDonagh families living separately, there were some cases of inter-marriage between them. He said Patrick Ward's partner is the sister of the two injured men.

The jury will hear evidence, the lawyer said, that the shootings took place at 10.15pm at the unofficial halting site.

The prosecution barrister went on to tell the court that this had followed an event that took place just minutes earlier - at 9.50pm - outside Tullamore Accident and Emergency Hospital.

Mr White said the "violent altercation" outside the hospital was captured on CCTV and involved Michael McDonagh and his son and three members of the accused's family. "Not the accused but cousins of theirs".

Mr White said the prosecution case is that following the incident at the hospital, Michael McDonagh and his son returned to the unofficial halting site.

Counsel said minutes after Michael McDonagh and his son arrived, a large group appeared "having come from the official halting site".

The lawyer said this group attacked the McDonagh's halting site. "Some members of the group were in possession of firearms and shots were discharged". He said pandemonium ensued and that people including children were looking for cover.

Mr White said that the two victims will give evidence that they were shot in the chest.

Counsel said the firearms were not recovered but the court will hear evidence that the garda technical team found components of the shotgun cartridges, including pellets and wadding. He said this indicated that the latter were discharged from twelve-gauge shotgun cartridges.

The court will also hear medical evidence, Mr White said, in relation to the injuries that Michael and Anthony McDonagh suffered that day. "You will hear about the proximity to vital organs and just how lucky they were it was not a fatal shooting".

The barrister further stated that Michael and Anthony McDonagh will tell the jury that they had observed the two men who shot them. "Anthony recognised Patrick and Michael recognised John. Both will say they were the two people who pointed guns at them and shot them; that they saw this and observed it".

Mr White described this evidence as recognition evidence. He said the McDonaghs knew who the two men were and had known them for years. He said Eileen - Patrick Ward's partner and the mother to his children - is the sister of the two victims in the case.

Counsel said Michael and Anthony McDonagh were hospitalised on March 21 and later transferred to St James's Hospital. He said the two men were treated in the intensive care unit and later in the higher dependency unit.

Mr White told the jury it was for them to determine whether Patrick Ward and John Pio Ward were guilty of the charges or not.

Patrick Ward is represented by Damien Colgan SC, while Michael O’Higgins SC is for John Pio Ward.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of seven men and five women.