Former Dublin GAA star Diarmuid Connolly avoids conviction for New Year’s Eve attack

Former Dublin GAA star Diarmuid Connolly has been spared a custodial sentence and an assault conviction for punching two men and dragging one of them along the ground in an "unprovoked" New Year's Eve attack.

Connolly (36), with an address at Collinswood in Beaumont, Dublin, admitted assaulting Stephen Grimes and Stephen Kiely at Shantalla Road in Santry on December 31st, 2022.

He appeared at Dublin District Court again for sentencing on Thursday after he pleaded guilty last month before Judge Michele Finan.

He said “Yeah” when Judge Finan asked if he understood the seriousness of the case having delayed complying with a €2,000 compensation payment by four weeks and leaving the court “waiting” for him last time.

She noted that he admitted the offence. “I'll take it as an isolated incident but this behaviour cannot be tolerated, do you understand,” she said, and Connolly nodded in reply.

“I am,” he said, when asked if he was taking it seriously.

At an earlier hearing of the evidence, on May 30th, Garda Niamh Carolan said officers responded to an incident and attended the scene.

"Mr Kiely and Mr Grimes made statements and identified the suspected offender as Diarmuid Connolly," the garda said.

"Mr Kiely alleged that in an unprovoked assault, he was punched and dragged to the ground by Mr Connolly, resulting in Mr Connolly ripping a North Face jacket belonging to Mr Kiely."

"It was then reported that Mr Grimes came to the aid of Mr Kiely and was subsequently assaulted also, having received a punch to the right side of his face by Mr Connolly."

The court heard a later Garda interview with the accused "was of a no-comment nature."

However, CCTV evidence from the area that night was obtained.

Judge Finan asked if the two