Father of five describes "locking eyes" with alleged attacker before he was shot in chest

by Alison O'Riordan

A father of five has described "locking eyes" with his alleged attacker before he was shot in the chest outside his home, telling a Central Criminal Court jury on Friday that he thought he, his wife and children were going to die.

Anthony McDonagh said that during the attack, "shots were going off everywhere" and up to 15 people from a neighbouring halting site had descended on the "unofficial" site where he lived with his family.

The witness said the man charged with trying to murder him - his sister's partner - had also fired a second shot towards his young son.

Two brothers are 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.

In his opening address, prosecuting barrister, Kevin White SC, told the jurors that they will hear "just how lucky" the victims were that it was not a fatal shooting. He said the victims will tell the jury that they had known the men who allegedly shot them for years.

Patrick Ward (38) of Kilcruttin, Tullamore, is charged with attempting to murder Anthony McDonagh (40) at the unofficial halting site on March 21, 2025. John Pio Ward (42) also of Kilcruttin, is charged with the attempted murder of Michael McDonagh at the same location 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.

The first of the two victims, Anthony McDonagh, has begun giving evidence, telling the jury that Michael McDonagh is his brother and he has nine siblings. Anthony said he also has two sisters; Eileen and Elizabeth.

Anthony said he was residing at the unofficial halting site in Kilcruttin on March 21 with his wife Caroline and their five children, who were between the ages of six and 17 years old.

Asked by Mr White about the two halting sites at Kilcruttin, Anthony said the McDonaghs were in one, while the Wards resided in the official site.

Describing the night of March 21, Anthony told the jurors that he was in bed when his daughter ran in to tell him that his brother Michael and nephew Arthur had been attacked.

The witness said when he went outside his caravan, he saw the two men by his front door getting out of Arthur's car. He said there was blood coming from both of them, so he called his wife to get towels and water.

Anthony said he was speaking to Michael and Arthur about what had happened when he looked up to see a "big crowd running towards where we live".

The witness said "anywhere from 10 to 15" people were coming from the official site by foot.

Asked whether he recognised anyone, Anthony said he recognised 'Pa' or the accused Patrick Ward "straight away", as he is "with" his sister Eileen.

Anthony said he saw a gun in Patrick Ward's hands. "The gun was pointed down towards his feet and when he looked at me he lifted it and pointed it straight at me".

Anthony described locking eyes "straight away" with Patrick Ward and said the accused man had no face covering.

Anthony said Patrick Ward, who was standing across from the witness's mobile home wearing dark clothing, shot him in the chest.

The witness said he didn't know much about guns but agreed with the prosecutor that the weapon was about two feet in length. "It was some sort of a shotgun," he said.

Asked how he had reacted when he was shot, Anthony said he turned to see where his wife and son were and told them to run.

Anthony said he ran to the back of his caravan as Patrick Ward was still shooting. "Shots were going off everywhere...I could see Patrick shooting but other people were shooting as well".

The witness said Patrick Ward had fired a second shot towards his son. "I was more or less dodging shots," the witness said.

The witness said he then approached Patrick Ward and another man as they tried to get in the door of his caravan. Anthony said Patrick Ward had the shotgun in his hand.

Anthony told the jury he ran towards the men as he thought they were going to kill his wife and children. "I shouted at them, I said 'Spongebob', are you seriously trying to kill my wife and kids; that's a nickname he [Patrick Ward] is known as".

"I thought I was going to die and my kids were gonna die and my wife," said the witness.

Anthony said he kept "going towards" Patrick Ward and was just short of his front door when the accused "ran straight out the entrance he came in and went back towards the official halting site".

The witness told the court that when he said aloud that he had been shot, someone told him his brother Michael was also shot.

Asked about his visibility that night, the witness said the street lights were on and that the lights were also turned on in his caravan. He told Mr White that there was nothing obstructing his view of Patrick Ward that night.

Anthony McDonagh will continue giving evidence on Monday before the jury of seven men and five women, with Mr Justice Paul McDermott presiding.