A Kerry man found guilty of murdering his brother will appeal his conviction.
42-year-old Fergus O’Connor of The Village, Scartaglen, was found guilty of the murder of his brother Pádraig ‘Paudie’ O’Connor, at 32 An Caisleán Mór, Castleisland, on June 28th 2024.
Fergus O’Connor stood trial at the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Limerick.
He denied the charged of murdering his brother, Pádraig ‘Paudie’ O’Connor.
The seven-day trial heard the two brothers were seen drinking together in a pub after they attended a family funeral on 27th June 2024.
Fergus O’Connor told gardaí following his arrest that Paudie came at him with a knife and that he acted in self-defence in the early hours of the next morning on 28 June.
Paudie O’Connor died from a single, 17cm stab wound that pierced his chest, heart, and liver, and died at the scene.
The jury of eight men and four women returned a majority verdict of guilty on the single charge of murder, by eleven jurors to one, after almost seven hours of deliberations.
Following that verdict, Mr O’Connor’s solicitor, Pádraig O’Connell, confirmed Fergus O’Connor will appeal his conviction on a point of law.
Mr O’Connell said his client would also like to acknowledge the tremendous support of his family and friends who visited him in prison and attended court every day.
Fergus O’Connor is due to appear again for sentencing next month; murder carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment in Ireland.
