Charles Dooher continues healing from vicious attack by cheering Naomh Padraig to win

Charles Dooher, the Lifford man brutally beaten to within an inch of his life, returned to watch his beloved Naomh Padraig on Saturday evening.

The 26-year-old, a player with the Naomh Padraig club, saw his team overcome Na Rossa at Pairc MacDiarmada.

Last month, he had a protective plate fitted to his head following an incident in January that is being treated by Gardai as an attempted murder.

A masked and armed gang stormed into his Conneyburrow Road at around 10am on January 20 and left him for dead. He was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where he underwent extensive surgeries - including having a protective plate fitted to his head, which a statement via the family’s solicitors, Madden & Finucane, said was his “last major surgical operation”.

Mr Dooher was left with a shattered skull and a traumatic brain injury, but made what close friends and family have called a “miracle recovery” after spending several weeks in intensive care.

On Saturday evening, he was out with his partner, Charlotte Gallen, to see Naomh Padraig earn their first win of 2025, beating Na Rossa 2-15 to 2-10 in Division 3 of the Donegal All-County Football League.

“The sun was shining in Lifford tonight, the team had a magnificent victory, but more importantly it was fantastic to see this man accompanied by charlotte standing watching from the sidelines,” Naomh Padraig GAA club said.

“Charles had the fight of his life this past number of months and has come through one hell of a battle and still has a long long way to go but one step at a time and it'll be no time till he's back in the black and amber himself.

“One thing’s for sure, if having him on the sidelines inspires the team to more victories like tonight we'll be chauffeuring him to every game from now on.”

Charles’s father, Charles Dooher senior, who is in his 60s, also received injuries in the attack and received treatment in Letterkenny University Hospital. Several garda units, including the Armed Response Unit, attended the scene of the attack and a major cross-border manhunt was launched as authorities on both sides of the border sought information on the gang. 

Two men were arrested by detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Serious Crime Branch. The two men, lifted in the Derry area, were held in police custody, but later “bailed pending further enquiries”. They were taken in and questioned over charges of attempted murder, aggravated burglary and false imprisonment.

The garda investigation into the incident was upgraded from aggravated burglary to attempted murder.

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In a recent statement, Madden & Finucane said: “The family have reiterated their call to the public on both sides of the border for any information to be passed to An Garda Síochána at Lifford Garda Station, the PSNI at Maydown, or if they prefer in the first instance, to Madden & Finucane Solicitors in Derry or Belfast on 028 9023 8007. 

“They also would like to thank the very many persons on both sides of the border who have provided them with tremendous support and assistance over the last three months.”