Court sketch/Alison Healy: Court 23 was packed to capacity every day this week, but the crowds had to resort to standing on benches yesterday when the jury returned with their last verdicts in the Brian Murphy manslaughter trial.
After 18 hours and 54 minutes of deliberations since Tuesday, the jury of eight men and four women acquitted Des Ryan of the manslaughter of Brian Murphy in August 2000.
However, they could not agree a verdict on the manslaughter charge against Seán Mackey.
The findings were greeted with silence at first in the hot, packed court room.
As Judge White began to thank the jury, the tension of the past seven weeks proved too much for several members. Three women and two men cried openly. The jury forewoman rubbed her red eyes and one man buried his head in his hands.
Des Ryan's reaction to his acquittal was subdued - he made a tiny gulp and smiled faintly. In the public gallery, his girlfriend was in tears as she strained to make eye contact with him but failed because of the crowds.
Beside her, Des Ryan's father smiled and immediately put his mobile phone to his ear.
Seated in front of them, Dermot Laide's girlfriend broke down in tears and was comforted by a friend. Laide was found guilty of manslaughter and violent disorder on Wednesday evening.
As Judge White adjourned the case for 10 minutes, Des Ryan's father and girlfriend made their way through the packed court room to speak to him.
But there was little jubilation as he stood talking to his father and absent-mindedly stroked his girlfriend's back.
Brian Murphy's family sat quietly in the front row of the public gallery, his parents showing little reaction to the jury's findings.
His young brother sat on his sister's knee and both sisters cried as the jury filed out of the court room for the last time. The family will make a statement to the court when Judge White sits on Monday week to hear evidence on the sentencing of the three men.
Seán Mackey's face was impassive as he left the court with his family.
Crowds of onlookers stood outside the court as the families emerged.
Friends patted Des Ryan on the back, but when a reporter asked for a reaction to the verdicts, the group quickly walked away.
Dermot Laide held his girlfriend's hand as the couple strode across the court yard.
Finally, after many of the onlookers had dispersed, Brian Murphy's family left the court. His father, Mr Denis Murphy, held his family as they faced a bank of cameras and reporters.
"We have noted the verdicts handed down by the court over the past three days," he said. "However, until such time as sentencing is completed in the case, we have no further comment to make at this time."
The subdued family got into a waiting car and left the Four Courts to enter into the busy Friday evening traffic.