Two men have been arrested following the death of Barry Daly in Doneraile, North Cork, in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The deceased has been named locally as Barry Daly (44), a father of four. His body was found shortly after 3am on Sunday, 12 October 2025, at Rockview Terrace in Doneraile.
Gardaí believe Mr Daly was violently assaulted while walking home from a night out.
The two individuals arrested as part of the investigation, one aged in his 20s and the other a juvenile in his late teens, were detained on Monday morning, 13 October, under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at Garda stations in Cork County.
Gardaí are understood to have since upgraded the investigation to a murder probe, with suspicions that a blunt instrument was used in the fatal assault.
A senior investigating officer has been appointed, and an incident room has been established at Mallow Garda Station. The Garda Technical Bureau attended the scene on Sunday, carrying out a detailed forensic examination.
A post-mortem is being conducted at Cork University Hospital, and the results will determine the next steps in the investigation.
A family liaison officer has been assigned to support Mr Daly’s relatives during this difficult time.
News of Barry Daly’s death has sent shockwaves through the Doneraile community. Dozens of tributes have been shared online, remembering him as a kind and gentle man.
“He was one of a kind, a gentleman. Not a bad bone in his body,” said one devastated friend. Another tribute read, “So sorry to hear about the death of Barry. He was such a joy and friend, you will be sadly missed by all.”
Locals who discovered the body raised the alarm in the early hours, but despite the swift response of emergency services, Mr Daly was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses who may have been in Doneraile village between midnight and 2am on Sunday. They are particularly interested in dashcam or camera footage from that timeframe.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Mallow Garda Station on 022 31450, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
