Prominent Limerick hurler and All-Ireland champion, Kyle Hayes, aged 25, faces sentencing this Wednesday. He was convicted on two charges relating to violent disorder that occurred outside the Icon nightclub on October 28th, 2019. Although initially denying the charges, one for an assault causing injury to Cillian McCarthy, a 24-year-old carpenter, and the two for violent disorder, he was found guilty by the jury in Limerick Circuit Criminal Court in December.
McCarthy suffered grave facial damage from the incident with Hayes’ acquittal on the assault charge causing controversy. Limerick hurling manager vouched for him, claiming that Hayes acknowledged his error and paid the price. Despite no prior convictions, Judge Dermot Sheehan, during the December court hearing, did not dismiss a potential jail term.
Limerick coach, John Kiely, describing Hayes as one of the team’s most critical players since his start in 2017, provided a character reference in January, suggesting the event was out of character. His statement put under scrutiny when prosecution barrister John O’Sullivan questioned the ‘not guilty’ plea which led to a two-week trial.
Evidence was put forth that during the night of the incident, while socialising in Limerick, Hayes had decided to guard his friends’ girlfriends from unwanted attention. After McCarthy interacted with one such woman, Hayes reacted violently, challenging McCarthy with his identity. The altercation escalated with Hayes and his friends assaulting McCarthy, first inside and then outside the club even when bouncers intervened. They only stopped when the police arrived and Hayes made his escape.
Recovering from the ordeal, McCarthy is still subjected to severe headaches and a fear of social life and experiences online harassment. In Hayes’ defence, his barrister put forth multiple significant points during January’s closing submission, arguing that the gravity of the offences was minimal.