A stag night out in Galway turned to tragedy for a group of 15 young Tipperary men when one of them died after they were set upon by a gang in Eyre Square, the first day of a trial at Galway Circuit Court was told yesterday. Mr Gerry Barry (18), of St James's Crescent, Mervue, Galway has denied the unlawful killing of Mr Colm Phelan (26), Main Street, Roscrea, in the early hours of July 21st last year. He has also denied a charge of engaging in violent disorder on the same occasion.
His three co-defendants, Tho mas Mongan (20), Jimmy Mongan (18), and Brian McDon agh (18), all of Hillside Park, Galway, pleaded guilty at the outset of the trial to the lesser charge of engaging in violent disorder.
Judge Raymond Groarke adjourned sentencing of the two Mongans and McDonagh to November 13th next, pending the outcome of Mr Barry's trial before a jury of 10 men and two women.
Mr Michael Coffey said the group of friends had visited a number of city-centre pubs before leaving the Goalpost in Wood Quay at closing time.
They bought take-aways from the pub and went to Eyre Square with the intention of getting a taxi to a private house, where they were to stay for the night.
"We just sat on a wall beside the public toilets, having a beer, waiting for a taxi, but there was no sign of any," he said. "We were just joking and messing about between ourselves. Then some fellow came up, looked at us, ran back towards the fountain, and came back with nine, 10 or 11 other people."
He said that he got the impression that his group was being targeted by the others, who were abusive as they ran towards them, and he decided to leave the scene. When he came back, he saw Mr Phelan lying on the ground.
Mr Paul Cordial, also from Roscrea, recalled that the stag party was engaging in a little "high-jinks" when the other group of "about 20 to" 25 people starting running at them. He was forced to retreat across the road towards Supermac's fast-food premises.
"They started kicking some of our group and I was threatened with fists by about three of them," he said. "The rest of the party came back and then we realised that we were missing Colm.
"Two of us ran back to try and find Colm, and he was in a serious condition. He was lying face up and I could not get a pulse from his wrist. His eyes were wide open and they were not moving."
Mr Alan Daly recalled that Michelle Smith had just won a swimming gold medal for Ireland and there was a number of boisterous groups in Galway city centre.
As he walked through Eyre Square on his way to get a hackney home, he realised it would not be safe to stay there after seeing the two groups on either side of the fountain.
"After I walked by I saw a melee going on and a lot of glass breaking," he said. "I saw one guy getting a slap across the face and went to ring for an ambulance."
The trial continues this morning.