Five men sent forward for trial over alleged Mayo assault

FIVE men - four from Mayo and one from Co. Laois - have been sent forward for trial to Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court after appearing before a sitting of Castlebar District Court, where each was served with the book of evidence.

Davitt Neary and Rhys Neary, both of Shanvalley, Breaffy Woods, Castlebar; Paul Dowding of Frenchhill, Castlebar; Oran Groarke of Ballynew, Turlough Road, Castlebar; and Eben Mulqueeney of Willow Grove, Mountmellick, Co. Laois, all appeared before Judge Vincent Deane in connection with an alleged serious assault in Castlebar last year.

Davitt Neary, Rhys Neary and Dowding are charged with assault causing serious harm and violent disorder arising from an incident on Tucker Street, Castlebar, in the early hours of Saturday, August 23, 2025.

Groarke and Mulqueeney are both charged with violent disorder in connection with the same incident.

Garda Evan Joyce told the court he had met each of the five men before the sitting and personally served them with a copy of the book of evidence, with signed declarations to that effect handed into court in each case.

Court presenter Sergeant Conor McShane confirmed the DPP was consenting to each man being returned for trial and applied to have all five sent forward to the next sitting of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court on October 5.

With the ongoing legal aid dispute leaving none of the five men legally represented in court, Judge Deane issued each defendant with an alibi warning, asking in turn whether they understood what was meant by an alibi. All five confirmed they did.

Dowding, Groarke and Mulqueeney each applied for legal aid.

Judge Deane granted legal aid to all three, along with certificates for senior and junior counsel.

Judge Deane remanded all five men on bail with all of the defendants to appear before Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court on October 5 for trial.

(Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme).