David Raleigh
Limerick star hurler Kyle Hayes will have to wait until at least February next year to find out if he is going to jail after he was convicted of violent disorder at a Limerick nightclub.
A two-year suspended sentence was imposed on five-time All-Star winning hurler Hayes, (26), last December, after he was convicted of two counts of violent disorder at the Icon nightclub, Limerick, on October 28th 2019.
On Monday, the five-time All-Ireland winning hurler appeared before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court for re-entry of the two-year suspended sentence that was triggered after Hayes was convicted of dangerous driving at Mallow District Court last September.
On Monday, Hayes’ barrister, senior counsel, Brian McInerney, told Limerick Circuit Court that the suspended sentence matter could not be heard because Hayes was appealing his dangerous driving conviction, which had to be heard first.
“I am informed that the appeal in the alleged criminal offence is listed for December 19th in Cork, and nothing can happen here before that,” Mr McInerney told Judge Colin Daly.
Judge Daly remanded Hayes on continuing bail to appear before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, for the violent disorder suspended sentence hearing, on February 10th, 2025.
Hayes’ appeal against his dangerous driving conviction will be heard before Cork Circuit Criminal Court, on December 19th.
Hayes, who was controversially shortlisted for Hurler of the Year 2024, was found guilty by a jury last December, of one count of violent disorder on the dancefloor of the Icon nightclub, Limerick City, and one count of violent disorder outside the nightclub in 2019.
Hayes, of Ballyashea, Kildimo, Co Limerick, had contested the charges and was acquitted of a third alleged offence, of assault causing harm to Cillian McCarthy, inside the nightclub.
In addition to his suspended sentence, Hayes was ordered to pay Mr McCarthy €10,000 in compensation for his injuries, loss of earnings, due to the injuries he sustained on the night of the violent disorder.
Limerick hurling manger John Kiely gave a character reference for Hayes at the December 2023 sentencing hearing, and the Shannonside GAA boss then asked judge Dermot Sheehan not to jail the star defender.“Every young man deserves a chance,” Mr Kiely told the judge.
Cillian McCarthy had told Hayes’ trial that he had to have surgery to repair a fractured bone in the socket of his right eye, he also suffered bruising, severe headaches, blurred vision and psychological trauma.
Mr McCarthy said he had also received hateful messages from people on social media and photos of him were circulated online alongside “nasty comments”.
Judge Sheehan suspended Hayes’s two-year sentence for violent disorder on condition he did not offended within a two year period.
Last September Hayes was convicted of a separate offence of dangerous driving by Judge Colm Roberts at Mallow District Court after the hurler had contested the charge.
Hayes had offered a plea to a lesser offence of careless driving, however Judge Roberts said he did not accept this, and convicted Hayes of one count of dangerous driving on the N20 Cork Limerick road, on July 14th last.
Judge Roberts also disqualified Hayes from driving for two years and fined him €250.
Mallow courthouse heard Hayes had driven 150kmh in a 100kmh speed-limit zone at Lissavoura, Grenagh, near Mallow, on the day.
Garda Deirdre Barrett told the court she had observed Hayes’s 191-registered white Audi A6 overtaking nine other vehicles at high speed on approach to a section of the road which narrows from two lanes to one lane.
When she pulled the car over Hayes was in the driver’s seat carrying a passenger.
Judge Roberts told Hayes:“Speed kills, and this was excessive and dangerous speed.” “There are too many deaths on the roads, and he [Hayes] might think he’s the chosen one and that things won’t go wrong for him, but things do go wrong.
