Diarmuid Connolly, a former star of Dublin’s GAA team, pleaded guilty to assault in a court hearing after he attacked two individuals in an uninvited episode that took place on New Year’s Eve, as per reports released by the court. The 36-year-old Dublin native, residing at Collinswood, Beaumont, stood accused of assaulting Stephen Grimes and Stephen Kiely on Shantalla Road, Santry, Dublin, the last day of 2022.
During his appearance at the Dublin District Court on a Thursday, Connolly admitted his guilt before Judge Michele Finan who deferred the sentencing until the 27th of June, whilst also directing him to compensate for his actions with a payment of €2,000.
The Garda was alerted to the altercation and Garda Niamh Carolan bore testimony to the same. On the occasion, Stephen Kiely and Stephen Grimes identified their attacker as Diarmuid Connolly. Kiely claimed that his North Face jacket was torn in an unasked-for attack by Connolly where he was punched and then dragged on the ground. In response to this, Grimes came to Kiely’s aid and was similarly assaulted, receiving a punch on the right side of his face from Connolly.
In a follow-up interview, Connolly abstained from commenting, but CCTV footage corroborated the testimony. While the two victims attended the court hearing, after learning of the path their attacker had decided on they chose to leave rather than stay. The court was informed that they suffered swelling and bruising on their faces from the assault but declined the opportunity to provide victim impact statements.
In similar cases, such charges carry sentences of up to half a year in prison per charge, but Judge Finan pointed out that Connolly had a clean record. Connolly’s defence solicitor, Daniel Hanahoe, emphasised to the court that Connolly is an electrician and a father of two young children who does not fully recall the events of that night, expressing regret at his involvement in the unfortunate incident.
“The lawyer confirmed that the second victim was attacked when he stepped in and pursued Connolly, who had no desire to perpetuate the occurrence. Mr Hanahoe proposed that his client might offer some recompense to them. The judge characterised it as an unfortunate transgression while remarking that Connolly addressed the situation aptly. She observed his proactive approach in notifying the prosecutors about his intention to admit guilt, sparing the witnesses the ordeal of testifying. Connolly was advised to allocate €1,000 to each claimant and was nudged to act on it immediately.
Donning an ash-coloured blazer, black shirt and denim trousers, paired with trainers; the father of two, Connolly, voiced his assurance, stating “I’ll secure it today”. Despite the defence warning him about the difficulty of procuring the demanded amount instantly, the judge urged him to “Seize the day, Revolut, call a mate, and get it sorted.”
Connolly stepped out to arrange the funds, at which point the proceedings were put on hold until his return. Nonetheless, when it became apparent that he had not returned after three hours, Judge Finan granted a postponement of four weeks. Connolly is celebrated for his unparalleled Gaelic football career, having helped Dublin clinch six All-Ireland football championships, 10 provincial titles, four league championships, and two All-Star accolades.”