The man convicted of manslaughter, whose family has been sheltered by the bishop of Killaloe for nine months, was yesterday jailed for six years. Patrick Mc Donagh, a 28 year old father of four, killed his brother Charlie (30) on 28th January 2007 after a drink-fuelled row.
The traveller was convicted of manslaughter last month and sentenced yesterday.
When Mr McDonagh was first charged in relation to the offence last year, part of his bail conditions, laid it down that he could not return to his Council home at Roslevan in Ennis, and the family approached Bishop Walsh to ask if they could locate their caravan at the Bishop's Westbourne residence. Bishop Walsh agreed.
Since then Mr McDonagh and his family have lived on the grounds of the residence, evoking sharp criticism from some.
In an interview last week, Dr Willie Walsh, conceded that his allowing Mr McDonagh and his family to live in his grounds would 'divide opinion' and that some people might find it 'unacceptable' but he said: 'It was the Christian thing to do'.
'I don't think that children should suffer as a result of a tragic situation like this. The family had nowhere else to go and they asked if they could stay on the grounds, he told reporters.
He believed that the family had been living on his property for nine months and during that time, he also provided shelter to a homeless Polish man who has since moved on.
But he said that allowing the McDonagh family to stay in his property was not condoning what happened. “Violence is unacceptable,” he said emphatically, adding "It is a tragic situation for the entire McDonagh family but at the same time, the children in Patrick's family should not have to suffer as a result."
Dr Walsh said that there was a danger of ostracising even further those found guilty of crimes and that can lead to more violence.
During a hearing on Monday, the court heard that Patrick McDonagh was suffering from post-traumatic distress disorder, and a psychiatrist said he also had a major depressive disorder.
He held the brother he had killed in high esteem, said Dr John O’Mahony.
A letter was also presented to the court from Bishop Walsh saying that Patrick Mc Donagh had been deeply affected by the tragedy.
At the drink-fuelled row involving a hatchet and a knife outside a house in Ennis on January 2007, Mr McDonagh participated, according to the State, in a 'serious, almost gladiatorial fight' that led to a 'fratricidal killing'.
Charlie, a father of four, was stabbed 12 times, including a fatal wound to his stomach.
Mr McDonagh denied the murder of his brother, but a jury found him guilty of manslaughter after a two week trial.
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