Posted by Updated / Friday, 27 Feb 2026 15:33
Crime Correspondent
A 39-year-old man who stabbed his friend to death in Dublin just over a year and a half ago has been jailed for life.
Joseph Lawlor of Hampton Wood Road in Finglas had pleaded not guilty to the murder of 51-year-old Michael Ryan in a carpark at the back of Lawlor’s home at Hampton Wood Way in Finglas on 20 June 2024.
He claimed the murder had been an accident and happened because they had a fight which had gotten out of hand.
The two men had been drinking together throughout the day and had their first of three fights at 8.30pm, after Mr Ryan became deeply offended when Lawlor began making “jokes” about people in wheelchairs.
Following the second fight just over an hour later, after 9.30pm, Mr Ryan drove off in his car, but was arrested almost immediately for drink driving.
Mr Ryan returned to Lawlor’s home shortly after midnight after his release from custody and accused him of having called gardaí to have him arrested for drunk driving.
Watch: ‘No one needs enemies when they have friends like Joseph Lawlor’
He also demanded that Lawlor return an expensive watch that he had left behind earlier.
When Lawlor refused, Mr Ryan threatened to get some “lads” to come and throw “pineapples”, a slang for grenades, through his windows.
A few minutes later, Mr Ryan came into Lawlor’s home through the back door and stole a bag with almost €4,000 inside.
Lawlor said that the money was his share of the profit the two men had made from selling drugs.
Lawlor pursued him to a carpark at the back of his home and stabbed him once in the neck, killing him.
He subsequently claimed he had been acting in self defence and testified during the trial, saying that when he saw Mr Ryan in his sitting room that night he feared for his life.
Lawlor said that Mr Ryan told him that he was going to throw grenades through his window and that he when he followed him with a bread knife in his hand he had wanted “scare him away”.
Lawlor also testified that when he realised straight away it was serious, he rang the emergency services, screaming for help.
He said he had to try his best to save him and that he initially thought he was going to be alright. He added the killing was an accident and that he had been provoked.
A father of three, Lawlor has 79 previous convictions, including for assault causing serious harm, making threats to kill and possession of drugs for sale and supply.
Mr Ryan’s family described in victim impact statements how his murder affected them.
His partner Natalia Comerford said they had been trying for a child for so long and were delighted when she had conceived.
She said it was Mr Ryan who named him Oscar, but never got to meet his son.
“Oscar came into the world shortly after Michael left it,” his sister, Elizabeth Kavanagh said.
“He is a little gift, a little bundle of joy, 18 months old, but to hear him say ‘Dada’ is bittersweet.”
She also said Mr Ryan was always playing tricks, laughing and joking and always made them feel safe and protected and pointed out that they had another sister who was physically and mentally disabled and had died.
“It was not surprising that Michael took offence to Joseph Lawlor making offensive jokes about people in wheelchairs,” she said.
The family also said that Lawlor had shown no remorse for what he had done and made what they described as “a half-hearted apology in front of jury”.
“No amount of prison time enough for ending life and destroying so many others but ensure he can’t do it to another family,” Ms Kavanagh said.
Lawlor wrote a letter of apology which was handed in to court today which the judge described as “largely a reiteration of what he said at the trial.”
His defence counsel said he was remorseful and devastated but the family do not accept his apology. He accepts he killed his friend but insists he didn’t intend to.
Mr Justice Patrick McGrath said the conviction carries a mandatory sentence after the jury concluded after a trial that he had killed Mr Ryan. They rejected he acted in self defence.
He described it as a very sad case, a wholly unnecessary death in which there was no doubt drugs and alcohol played a part.
Mr Ryan, he said, died at the hands of a man he considered his friend.
The judge also said that Lawlor’s remorse must be called into question given the comments he has made about the character of the deceased.
He not only slandered him, he blamed him, he said, and the family does not consider remorse genuine.
He also said that the Ryan family had shown great dignity despite their grief at this unnecessary loss and took the time to thank all those who looked after Mr Ryan, who tried to save this life and all those who investigated and prosecuted the case.
He sentenced Lawlor to the mandatory term of life in prison.
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