DUBLIN – Fergus O’Connor, 43, from Scartaglen, Castleisland, Co Kerry, has been sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the murder of his brother, Paudie O’Connor, 42, following a family funeral last year.
The fatal incident occurred at their mother’s home in Castleisland on June 27, 2024. Fergus O’Connor maintains he acted in self-defence, a claim the jury ultimately rejected.
The Events of the Night
The court heard that both brothers attended a cousin’s funeral and were drinking in Castleisland afterwards.
- 10:15 PM: Paudie O’Connor, who had a long-term partner and a son in the US, returned home.
- 12:15 AM: Fergus O’Connor, who had been seen falling out of a pub on CCTV, was seen walking towards the house.
- 12:20 AM (approx): A neighbour witnessed Paudie O’Connor at the front door holding his side, indicating the stabbing occurred almost immediately after Fergus’s return.
- Another neighbour then saw Paudie O’Connor on his knees outside the house, followed by Fergus O’Connor coming out and punching his dying brother in the face with a closed fist.
Neighbours attempted CPR, and Fergus O’Connor returned to the house to retrieve a duvet to cover his brother. Despite these efforts, Paudie O’Connor died at the scene from a single stab wound to the chest that penetrated his heart, diaphragm, and liver. Paudie O’Connor’s blood alcohol levels were noted as four to five times the legal driving limit.
Motive and Investigation
Due to his level of intoxication, Fergus O’Connor could not be questioned for several hours. He initially claimed his brother returned home after him, they fought in the kitchen, and he grabbed a knife in self-defence after being pinned down.
However, he was forced to change his account when presented with evidence showing the stabbing occurred upstairs and that his brother had returned home before him.
Prosecution counsel Michael Delaney stated that Fergus O’Connor harboured several grievances against his brother, particularly concerning “money and land related issues and issues in relation to other women.” Fergus O’Connor admitted to gardaí that his brother pursued women he dated and had made derogatory remarks to him on the night of the funeral.
Detective Sergeant Ernie Henderson noted that Fergus O’Connor has 15 previous convictions, including three for drink driving.
Victim Impact Statement
Liz O’Donovan, Paudie O’Connor’s partner of nine years, delivered a powerful victim impact statement, expressing the difficulty in accepting the manner of his death, which occurred just an hour after she last spoke to him.
She described Paudie as a man of “warmth and humour with a quick wit and generous heart,” and noted that his killing had deeply impacted her life and her children’s lives, leaving a teenage son without his father. She told the court that while no sentence could bring him back, she wanted the court to know his significance to those who loved him.
Sentencing
Ms Justice Melanie Greally noted that the defence of self-defence was argued “extensively and vociferously” but was rejected by the jury.
She stated that Paudie O’Connor died in the “most brutal and frightening of circumstances – at the hand of his only brother.”
Ms Justice Greally imposed the mandatory life sentence and praised the “admirable role” of the neighbours who attempted to save the victim’s life.
