Former GAA player finally pays compo for assault on reporter in Four Courts
A former Cavan GAA footballer who assaulted a court reporter after demanding that he not report on his debt case has finally paid the compensation ordered by a judge over two years ago.
Eddie Óg O'Reilly was convicted in 2023 of assaulting journalist Ray Managh, now aged 82, in the Four Courts in 2018.
The case was delayed on a number of occasions for administrative reasons and after O'Reilly's legal team said their client could not deal with the stress and anxiety caused by the case.
O'Reilly, who has US citizenship, went to work in America after the attack, but was arrested by Garda Mick McGrath, of the Bridewell garda station, in Dublin Airport in 2019 when he was returning to Ireland.
O'Reilly, from Kilcogy, Co Cavan, pleaded not guilty to the attack.
After he was found guilty, Judge John Hughes characterised O'Reilly's evidence that he was terrified for his life due to Mr Managh and news photographers chasing him through the streets of Dublin as 'delusional'.
'The reporting of civil and criminal cases goes back hundreds of years — it is a valuable function in society and needs to be protected,' Judge Hughes said.
Court reporter Ray Managh was assaulted by Eddie Óg O'Reilly in 2018. Photo: Collins Courts
O'Reilly was given a nine-month suspended sentence for the offence. He was ordered to pay a fine of €2,000 and attend an anger management course.
The judge also ordered him to pay Mr Managh €3,000 in compensation, which the reporter requested be paid directly to the cancer research unit at Children's Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin.
The assault took place after O'Reilly was in court trying to prevent the repossession of a €500,000 investment apartment that he and his brother Michael had got into arrears on.
After that hearing, O'Reilly followed Mr Managh out of the court and badgered him not to report on the case.
When told 'no', he shouldered the journalist, then 75, into a lift and violently pinned him against a wall until he could get his notebook.
The notebook was taken and never returned.
Mr Managh was able to write the story despite the assault.
O'Reilly refused to apologise and took an appeal that was dropped on the eve of the appeal hearing last January.
Mr Managh said he had recently been told by gardaí that the children's hospital had received the €3,000 compensation he was due from the case.
'I was beginning to worry that it would never be paid, so it's a relief that it's finally over,' Mr Managh said.
It is understood the compensation money was paid earlier this year after O'Reilly withdrew his appeal.
Eddie Óg O'Reilly. Photo: Collins Courts
Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 21st
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Driving ban for drink driver whose car was 'veering from left to right' and had no lights on
A drink driver, who came to garda attention when he drove along a busy street at night with no lights on, has failed in his bid to avoid a conviction in the district court. Court presenter Inspector Anthony Harrington told Mallow District Court that the incident occurred in Kanturk, Co Cork, just before 1am on the morning of June 17, 2024. Giving evidence, Garda Kieran Mulcahy said that a mobile patrol on Church Street observed a vehicle driving along without its lights on. The vehicle was also 'veering from left to right' across the centre line of the road. Gda Mulcahy said the area was busy with people at the time and when he turned on the blue lights of the patrol car the vehicle's lights were turned on. Gda Mulcahy told the court that the vehicle was stopped and the driver was identified as William O'Reilly, aged 45, of Seamus Murphy Place, Mallow, Co. Cork. There was a strong smell of alcohol in the vehicle and O'Reilly's speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot. O'Reilly had to be assisted in getting out of the vehicle and was very unsteady on his feet. Gda Mulcahy said he formed the opinion O'Reilly was intoxicated and he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving. O'Reilly admitted he had consumed alcohol but did not know how much. At Mallow Garda Station a blood test was carried out the results of which showed that O'Reilly had a blood alcohol level of 341mg per 100ml where the legal limit is 50mg. Defence counsel Carmel Goggin BL queried whether the 'b' blood sample kept at the station was stored securely in the five-hour period from when it was taken to when it was sent for analysis. Gda Mulcahy said he had kept the sample in his possession "at all times'. Judge Colm Roberts said he accepted that the sample was secure as it was in Gda Mulcahy's possession and said there was 'no reason for concern' based on the evidence. He added that there was no evidence 'to cause a doubt as to the integrity of the sample'. The court heard that O'Reilly had eight previous convictions including drink-driving and dangerous driving. Judge Roberts said that O'Reilly's behaviour was 'not acceptable' adding: 'His difficulties cannot be everybody else's difficulties. If you had killed a child you would have to live with that for the rest of your life.' For drink-driving William O'Reilly was disqualified from driving for three years and sentenced to three months in prison suspended for two years on condition he does not consume alcohol and only takes prescribed drugs. For careless driving he was disqualified for two years and fined €250 with two months to pay. A third charge of failing to produce a valid certificate of insurance was taken into consideration. Recognisance for appeal was set at €1,000, with €500 in cash. This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
Sunday World
4 days ago
- Sunday World
Former GAA player finally pays compo for assault on reporter in Four Courts
Eddie Óg O'Reilly was convicted in 2023 after attack on journalist Ray Managh, who asked that the money be given to charity A former Cavan GAA footballer who assaulted a court reporter after demanding that he not report on his debt case has finally paid the compensation ordered by a judge over two years ago. Eddie Óg O'Reilly was convicted in 2023 of assaulting journalist Ray Managh, now aged 82, in the Four Courts in 2018. The case was delayed on a number of occasions for administrative reasons and after O'Reilly's legal team said their client could not deal with the stress and anxiety caused by the case. O'Reilly, who has US citizenship, went to work in America after the attack, but was arrested by Garda Mick McGrath, of the Bridewell garda station, in Dublin Airport in 2019 when he was returning to Ireland. O'Reilly, from Kilcogy, Co Cavan, pleaded not guilty to the attack. After he was found guilty, Judge John Hughes characterised O'Reilly's evidence that he was terrified for his life due to Mr Managh and news photographers chasing him through the streets of Dublin as 'delusional'. 'The reporting of civil and criminal cases goes back hundreds of years — it is a valuable function in society and needs to be protected,' Judge Hughes said. Court reporter Ray Managh was assaulted by Eddie Óg O'Reilly in 2018. Photo: Collins Courts O'Reilly was given a nine-month suspended sentence for the offence. He was ordered to pay a fine of €2,000 and attend an anger management course. The judge also ordered him to pay Mr Managh €3,000 in compensation, which the reporter requested be paid directly to the cancer research unit at Children's Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin. The assault took place after O'Reilly was in court trying to prevent the repossession of a €500,000 investment apartment that he and his brother Michael had got into arrears on. After that hearing, O'Reilly followed Mr Managh out of the court and badgered him not to report on the case. When told 'no', he shouldered the journalist, then 75, into a lift and violently pinned him against a wall until he could get his notebook. The notebook was taken and never returned. Mr Managh was able to write the story despite the assault. O'Reilly refused to apologise and took an appeal that was dropped on the eve of the appeal hearing last January. Mr Managh said he had recently been told by gardaí that the children's hospital had received the €3,000 compensation he was due from the case. 'I was beginning to worry that it would never be paid, so it's a relief that it's finally over,' Mr Managh said. It is understood the compensation money was paid earlier this year after O'Reilly withdrew his appeal. Eddie Óg O'Reilly. Photo: Collins Courts Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 21st
Sunday World
4 days ago
- Sunday World
Former GAA player finally pays compensation for assault on reporter in Four Courts
Ex-Cavan footballer Eddie Óg O'Reilly was convicted in 2023 after attack on journalist Ray Managh, who asked that the money be given to charity A former Cavan GAA footballer who assaulted a court reporter after demanding that he not report on his debt case has finally paid the compensation ordered by a judge over two years ago. Eddie Óg O'Reilly was convicted in 2023 of assaulting journalist Ray Managh, now aged 82, in the Four Courts in 2018. The case was delayed on a number of occasions for administrative reasons and after O'Reilly's legal team said their client could not deal with the stress and anxiety caused by the case. O'Reilly, who has US citizenship, went to work in America after the attack, but was arrested by Garda Mick McGrath, of the Bridewell garda station, in Dublin Airport in 2019 when he was returning to Ireland. O'Reilly, from Kilcogy, Co Cavan, pleaded not guilty to the attack. After he was found guilty, Judge John Hughes characterised O'Reilly's evidence that he was terrified for his life due to Mr Managh and news photographers chasing him through the streets of Dublin as 'delusional'. 'The reporting of civil and criminal cases goes back hundreds of years — it is a valuable function in society and needs to be protected,' Judge Hughes said. Court reporter Ray Managh was assaulted by Eddie Óg O'Reilly in 2018. Photo: Collins Courts O'Reilly was given a nine-month suspended sentence for the offence. He was ordered to pay a fine of €2,000 and attend an anger management course. The judge also ordered him to pay Mr Managh €3,000 in compensation, which the reporter requested be paid directly to the cancer research unit at Children's Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin. The assault took place after O'Reilly was in court trying to prevent the repossession of a €500,000 investment apartment that he and his brother Michael had got into arrears on. After that hearing, O'Reilly followed Mr Managh out of the court and badgered him not to report on the case. When told 'no', he shouldered the journalist, then 75, into a lift and violently pinned him against a wall until he could get his notebook. The notebook was taken and never returned. Mr Managh was able to write the story despite the assault. O'Reilly refused to apologise and took an appeal that was dropped on the eve of the appeal hearing last January. Mr Managh said he had recently been told by gardaí that the children's hospital had received the €3,000 compensation he was due from the case. 'I was beginning to worry that it would never be paid, so it's a relief that it's finally over,' Mr Managh said. It is understood the compensation money was paid earlier this year after O'Reilly withdrew his appeal. Eddie Óg O'Reilly. Photo: Collins Courts Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 21st
