A DUBLIN man has denied the manslaughter of a friend during a dispute at a New Year's Eve party in 1993.
Mr Kevin Costello (22), of Limekiln Green, Walkinstown, pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of Mr Christopher Baitson (17) in Tallaght, on December 31st, 1993, when his trial began yesterday at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mr Costello also denies charges of riot, riotous assembly and affray on the same occasion.
Outlining the case to the jury, Mr Gregory Murphy SC (with Ms Una Ni Raifeartaigh) said a party was being held in a house at Birchview Heights, Kilnamanagh, in Tallaght, to celebrate the New Year.
A number of young people from the Kilnamanagh area, aged between 17 and 21, attended the party and a lot of drink was consumed.
A few people from the Greenhills area of Walkinstown also arrived. One of this group, a Mr David Kelly, was drunk and, because of his behaviour he was ejected from the house and beaten up by members of the Kilnamanagh group.
The rest of the Greenhills people went to another party in their own area, counsel said. Later on, members of this Greenhills group, known as the "Trads", armed themselves with knives and sticks and decided to return to the Kilnamanagh party.
Mr Murphy told the jury that members of the "Trads", including the defendant and the deceased, forced their way into the house but retreated when a man ran at them with a shovel.
Counsel said the State would allege Mr Costello fatally stabbed Mr Baitson with a knife but the prosecution was not saying he intended to stab his friend and fellow "Trad".
Mr Murphy said Mr Costello made a statement in which he claimed the knife and one glove had been given to him by another "Trad", Mr John Rice, when they decided to return to Kilnamanagh "to sort it out".
Mr Costello said he was holding the knife with the blade pointing backwards when he felt it "go into something".
He saw blood on it and later threw it and the glove over a wall. He brought gardai to the area and identified the knife.
A number of partygoers gave evidence of their recollections of the events. Some witnesses recalled seeing members of both the Greenhills and "Trads" groups with knives.
Mr John Rice agreed he had given a knife to someone but said he had no memory of having a glove or giving anyone else a glove.
The trial before Judge Kevin Haugh continues.