All-Star Limerick hurler Kyle Hayes should be forgiven and allowed to “move on” following his past convictions, a Limerick priest has said.
Fr Timothy Wrenn of Kilcornan pastoral unit, a neighbouring parish of Hayes’s in Pallaskenry, said: “He [Hayes] is only human . . . a human being like all of us – we make mistakes and hopefully we can learn from those, and life goes on.”
Hayes, who was shortlisted for Hurler of the Year, was controversially awarded his fifth consecutive All Star award last Friday night by a judging panel of sports journalists.
The honour for Hayes angered some who said it sent out the wrong message to other players and the younger generation who look up to Hayes as a role model.
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Last September Hayes was convicted of dangerous driving, a charge he denied. He had offered a plea to a lesser charge of careless driving but this was not accepted by Judge Colm Roberts at Mallow District Court.
At the time Hayes was on probation after he was convicted last December by a jury at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court of two counts of violent disorder. He was acquitted of a charge of assault causing harm to the injured party in the case, Cillian McCarthy (24).
Hayes was given a two-year suspended sentence on the violent disorder offences last March.
The decision to award him an All-Star following his convictions has sparked criticism from Mr McCarthy’s family and wider debate.
There were mixed views on the topic on the streets of Limerick city this week.
Doon hurler, Sean Óg Blackmore, (19), said while he “wouldn’t look at Kyle as a role model” he was “definitely worthy of an All Star”.
Shane Cassidy, (19), from Ballinderreen, south Co Galway, agreed Hayes “definitely deserved it [the award] in terms of his ability and his performances this year, and whatever happens off the field is off the field”.
He said he did not see Hayes as a general role model for him personally “but I would aspire to be a player like him”.
Ann Connolly, Corbally, Limerick, said Hayes was a “brilliant hurler” but was not deserving of the All-Star this year, “because of what he did”.
“But, he is a brilliant hurler, it’s a pity,” she added.
Fr Wrenn, who has only recently returned to west Limerick after 37 years working in South Africa, said Hayes should be allowed “to move on”.
He said some in society are quick to engage in “ostracising, marginalising, and afflicting” others.
“There is always people who will have an unforgiving heart but, as Christians, once justice is served and he [Hayes] had his day [in court] he has to get on with life . . . Our god is compassionate, forgiven and all loving,” said Fr Wrenn.
“He [Hayes] is still a young man and has an awful lot to offer. He is talented and hopefully he can learn from his mistake.”
The priest added: “John Kiely, the manager, stood by him and you need support in that sense. He [Hayes] knew he was out of line, let justice move on, and let him get on with his life . . . He can still be an inspiration for young people.”
Well-known Limerick hurling fan, Pat ‘The Bog’ Carroll, said he agreed that Hayes deserved the award.
Carroll said that, while he was “not condoning” Hayes’s behaviour off the pitch, “at the end of the day he was dealt with in the courts, and his hurling is separate from that”.
Tony Brosnan, Garrowen, said he had been following Limerick hurling since 1967 “and I have never seen a hurler being so hounded and haunted in all my life”.
“There isn’t a better left-half back in the country and Kyle Hayes more than deserved his fifth All-Star, hopefully there is more to come, and there will be,” he said.
Two gardaí had told last December’s trial they saw Hayes kicking a male who was lying on the ground, outside the Icon nightclub in Limerick city, on the night of October 28th, 2019.
Hayes has lodged an appeal against the dangerous driving conviction, and is facing the prospect of having part or all of his two-year suspended sentence, for violent disorder, activated.
Elaine McCarthy, the mother of Cillian McCarthy told RTÉ radio’s Liveline, she was “absolutely disgusted” Hayes was honoured at the All Star awards.
Her son suffered a fractured eye socket, bruising, loss of earnings and trauma during the night of the violent disorder. Kyle Hayes was ordered to pay him €10,000 in compensation.
“Only for the gardaí arriving on that night, Cillian may not be alive today,” she said.
“It’s all been about Kyle. ‘Oh, poor Kyle’, ‘Kyle has had this hanging over him’. Well, so have we . . . Cillian was the victim here, let’s not forget that.”
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