Courts / Offaly / Report
Attempted murder accused pointed shotgun and fired, alleged victim tells trial
Summary
The trial of Patrick Ward (38) and John Pio Ward (42) continues at the Central Criminal Court, where both men have pleaded not guilty to all charges. They are accused of attempting to murder Anthony McDonagh (40) and Michael McDonagh (46), respectively, at an unofficial halting site in Kilcruttin, Co Offaly, on March 21, 2025. Both accused also face charges of possession of firearms and violent disorder. During testimony, Michael McDonagh stated he was 100 percent certain that John Pio Ward shot him in the chest with a shotgun-type gun. He described seeing a crowd of 12 to 15 men approaching the site before the incident. Under cross-examination, the defence challenged his certainty, noting he did not initially identify the shooter to gardai that night, though McDonagh denied lying to the jury. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of 12, with proceedings scheduled to continue tomorrow.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Attempted murder accused pointed shotgun and fired, alleged victim tells trial. Charges or matters: attempting to murder Anthony McDonagh (40) at the unofficial halting site on March 21, 2025; the attempted murder of Michael McDonagh (46) at the same location on the same date; all charges. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- March 21, 2025 Other
- March 21 Incident
- 2026-05-12 Publication
Why: The witness said it was because he was shot at the halting site by John Ward but agreed that the events at the hospital and him later being shot were connected. CNI source report
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: attempting to murder Anthony McDonagh (40) at the unofficial halting site on March 21, 2025; the attempted murder of Michael McDonagh (46) at the same location on the same date; all charges (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Accused
Charges: attempting to murder Anthony McDonagh (40) at the unofficial halting site on March 21, 2025; the attempted murder of Michael McDonagh (46) at the same location on the same date; all charges (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Midland Regional Hospital
- St James's Hospital
Topics
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