National court archive · 2026-03-25
Family escaped death ‘by grace of God’ after Galway arson attack
At a glance
- Crime
- arson
- People
- PJ Lyons, Mary Sweeney, Judge Brian O’Callaghan, Detective Garda Marvin Lee, Geri Silke, Damien Colgan, SC
- Locations
- Cedar Block Walk, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, Castlepark, Ballybane, Galway, Galway City, Joyce Roundabout, Bohermore
- Court
- Galway Circuit Criminal Court
- Outcome
- He set a global sentence of eight years
Summary
PJ Lyons received a global eight-year sentence after pleading guilty to an arson attack on a house in Castlepark, Ballybane, where Mary Sweeney and her four children were asleep. The family escaped through an upstairs window, were treated for smoke inhalation and lost their possessions; Judge Brian O’Callaghan described the risk to their lives as shocking.
Original reporting: courtsnewsireland.ie