'Too many pellets to count' in shooting victim, attempted murder trial hears

Alison O'Riordan

There were "too many pellets to count" in the body of one of two brothers shot at a halting site, while both he and his sibling were "very lucky" not to experience serious complications or even death, an attempted murder trial has heard.

Two other brothers are on trial at the Central Criminal Court, charged with trying to murder the men at an unofficial halting site in Co Offaly last year.

Patrick Ward (38) of Kilcruttin, Tullamore, Co Offaly, is charged with attempting to murder Anthony McDonagh (40) at the unofficial halting site on March 21st, 2025.

John Pio Ward (42) also of Kilcruttin, is charged with the attempted murder of Michael McDonagh (46) at the same location on the same date.

Giving evidence on Wednesday, specialist registrar in emergency medicine Dr Chloe Doran said there were innumerable pellet wounds to Anthony McDonagh when he arrived at Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore on the night of March 21st, 2025.

Under cross-examination by Damien Colgan, for Patrick Ward, the witness agreed that Anthony McDonagh had multiple gunshot wounds to the chest potentially from the one shotgun cartridge.

She said Anthony couldn't tell her the range from which he had been shot. She said the pellets were inside the heart, the lungs and near major vessels.

Dr Doran testified that Michael McDonagh had numerous gunshot wounds to the torso. She said there were too many pellets to count and that the victim was treated by numerous doctors and nursing staff.

She said a CT scan showed multiple shotgun pellets in the neck, thorax and upper abdomen.

The doctor agreed with Michael O'Higgins, for John Pio Ward, that the further away the gun is fired, the lesser the impact, but a closer shot is "far more serious". "In respect of this case, irrespective of distance they went very deep," the witness added.

A report prepared by a consultant in emergency medicine, Sean O'Rourke, was read into the record by prosecutor Shane Geraghty.

O'Rourke noted that a CT scan for Anthony McDonagh found a pellet had entered the muscle of the heart in the region of the right ventricle.

He found pellets had also lodged close to the jugular vein and another large vein in the neck. Other pellets were lodged close to the heart and aorta. He also found pellets in both lungs that led to them collapsing.

He said the injuries were of such a serious nature that Anthony was immediately transferred to a cardiothoracic surgeon in St James's Hospital.

A second report prepared for Michael McDonagh found a pellet had entered the muscle of the heart in the region of the right ventricle. Other pellets entered the neck and were lodged close to the trachea and two large arteries in the upper chest.

A cardiothoracic consultant surgeon in St James's Hospital, Dr Rashid Aziz, told prosecutor Kevin White that both the McDonaghs were monitored rather than having surgical intervention take place.

Dr Aziz said the extent of gunshot pellets in Anthony McDonagh's chest and around the heart and major vessels made this potentially a serious injury and that he was "very lucky" not to experience serious complications or even death.

The witness said the extent of gunshot pellets in Michael McDonagh's chest and their distribution around such vital organs as the heart were potentially life threatening. He said Michael was also "very lucky" not to experience serious complications or even death.

Detective Garda Tadhg O'Brien Mr White that he attended the cardiac intensive care unit at St James Hospital at 10am on March 22nd, 2025, where the two injured men had been transferred.

When he arrived, the witness said the McDonagh brothers were in separate intensive care units and that he had spoken to Michael McDonagh firstly.

The detective said Michael McDonagh told him he was "90 per cent sure" it was John Ward who had shot him at the unofficial halting site and that the accused's face was not covered at the time.

The detective said he next spoke to Anthony McDonagh, who told him he was shot by "Pa Ward, his brother in law", whose face was not covered at the time.

Det Gda O'Brien said he returned to the hospital at 2pm that day and invited both men to make statements. The witness said Anthony refused to make a statement, telling the witness he wanted to get it right, that his "head was all over the place" and he was on painkillers.

The detective said he spoke to Michael separately and invited him to make a statement. He said Michael refused, also telling him that he wanted to get it right, that his "head was all over the place" and that he was on painkillers.

In cross-examination, O'Higgins, for John Ward, put it to the witness that the McDonaghs had given the exact same reason for not making a statement and asked whether this a coincidence. The detective said he could just confirm his note.

Both accused men face further charges of the possession of firearms and violent disorder, at Kilcruttin halting site on the same date. The two accused have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The trial continues next Monday before Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of seven men and five women.