THE MOTHER OF a man who was assaulted by Kyle Hayes has said her “world fell apart” after the incident.
Elaine McCarthy added that the incident impacted on the wider family and that her son Cillian McCarthy has been “forgotten” about in the media coverage.
The five-time All-Ireland winning hurler was recently awarded a GAA All Star and journalist Pat Nolan yesterday told RTÉ’s Liveline that off-field behaviour was not discussed by the 12-person panel ahead of awarding nominations.
Nolan, a GAA journalist who was on the All Star judging panel, said there were suggestions among the panel in the aftermath that it should consider “developing guidelines for how players are selected” in the future.
Also speaking on Liveline, Elaine today said she was “disgusted” that Hayes was awarded an All Star and added that the assault had a “profound effect” on her son.
In March, a two-year suspended sentence was imposed on Hayes (26) after he was convicted of two counts of violent disorder both inside and outside the Icon nightclub in Limerick on 28 October 2019.
During the incident, he attacked Cillian McCarthy, who sustained serious facial injuries and underwent surgery for a fractured eye socket.
The judge said McCarthy had been an “innocent” victim on the night.
Meanwhile, Hayes appeared before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court last month, for re-entry of the two-year suspended sentence which was triggered after Hayes was convicted of dangerous driving before Mallow District Court.
Hayes has lodged an appeal for that conviction for dangerous driving and will find out next month if he will be jailed.
Elaine McCarthy told Liveline that her “world fell apart” when her son Cillian arrived home after the 2019 assault at the Icon nightclub.
“His face was full of blood, and I just went, ‘oh my Lord, what happened to you?’
“Cillian is such a quiet lad, I just couldn’t believe that he would ever be involved in anything, let alone come home to me in the state he did.”
Elaine said the incident has had a “profound effect” on her son, who she described as a “gentle giant”.
“He was very hard working, enjoyed life, and then he just became totally withdrawn and cross, and that wouldn’t be like Cillian at all.”
Elaine added that the incident impacted on the wider family too and that Cillian has been “forgotten” about in the coverage.
“It’s all been about poor Kyle; Kyle has had this hanging over him.
“Well so have we. We’ve all suffered mentally as well. So, it hasn’t just had a profound effect on Kyle, Kyle was the instigator here, not Cillian.”
During the trial, Hayes’s barrister told the court: “This has been hanging over Kyle Hayes for four long years – I ask you to give him back his life.
“Take back this chalice of torture from his lips, and return him the bosom of his family.”
Elaine told Liveline: “We’ve had this hanging over us for four years too and Cillian was the victim here, let’s not forget that.
“He went out for a few drinks with his friends, and he didn’t come home the same way he went out.”
Cillian McCarthy is currently living in Australia and Elaine said she can “finally relax” now that her son is no longer living in Limerick.
During the trial, the court heard that McCarthy had become reluctant to socialise in the aftermath of the incident and had faced abuse on social media from Limerick supporters over the case.
Elaine added that it’s a “relief” for Cillian to be in Australia because he’s “away from everything”.
“Every time Kyle gets himself into the news, Cillian’s in the news as well,” she added.
Meanwhile, Elaine said that she never received an apology from the Limerick hurler following the incident.
She added that an apology at this stage would make no difference because “it would be for the wrong reasons”.
“It’s a little too late, it’s five years too late,” said Elaine.
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