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20 Jan 2026

Trial of two men for murder outside Monasterevin pub adjourned on first day

Jury was sworn in for trial of two Kildare men accused of murdering Dylan McCarthy

Jury sworn in for trial of two men accused of murdering Limerick man Dylan McCarthy

The late Dylan McCarthy

Reporter:

Court Reporter

15 Jan 2025 12:22 PM

The trial of two men for the murder of a man outside a Monasterevin pub has been adjourned on the first day evidence was due to be heard.

Sean Kavanagh, (26), with an address at St Mary’s Lane, Church Avenue and Calvin Dunne (24) of Abbey View, both in Monasterevin, Co Kildare, were arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday afternoon, January 14. They both pleaded not guilty to the murder of Dylan McCarthy, (29), on or about August 22, 2022.

The trial was due to begin on Wednesday but is now expected to begin tomorrow Thursday before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and the jury of 10 men and two women.

Before the jury was empanelled on Tuesday, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs told potential jurors that the trial will involve 97 witnesses and is expected last just over two weeks.
She told jurors that the Director of Public Prosecution’s Senior Counsel in the case is Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing appearing with Jane Horgan Jones BL.
The judge said Mr Kavanagh will be represented in the trial by Michael Lynn SC and Carol Doherty BL while Mr Dunne’s lawyers will be John Fitzgerald SC appearing with barrister Aoife O’Leary.
She told the panel that if they know any of the parties in the case then they must not serve on the jury. She then read a list of the witnesses expected to give evidence in the trial to the jury pool
Ms Justice Biggs also told the potential jurors that if they had any difficulties serving then they should bring that to her attention. 
She told the panel that Mr Dunne is from Monasterevin and works as a courier while Mr Kavanagh is also from Monasterevin and is employed as a block layer.
After the jury was sworn in, Ms Justice Biggs told the jury that the verdict they reach must be based on the evidence that they hear in the courtroom. She told them it is critical that they are aware at this stage that it would be “totally improper” to carry out any research, either online or in any other way. “That mustn’t be done,” she said.
A jury of 10 men and two women has been selected to hear the case, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow (WED) before Ms Justice Biggs and is expected to conclude by February 4.  
Dylan McCarthy, of Ardvullen, Kilmallock, Co Limerick was pronounced dead at Tallaght University Hospital on August 22, 2022 where he had been brought after sustaining serious injuries outside a pub on Dublin Road, Monasterevin the previous night.

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