Ever since I met top Irish journalist and podcaster Nicola Tallant a couple of years ago, I have been a keen observer of organised crime in Dublin.
For most of us who are visitors to Dublin, we love our experiences of this great City and the friendliness of the locals are a large part of making Dublin the amazing City that is it. This makes the continuing violence driven by feuding organised gangs even more shocking to me.
Christmas Eve Murder
In the last few days we have read about the latest depressing episode which happened on Christmas Eve at Brownes Steakhouse in Dublin.. Twenty six year old Tristan Sherry burst into the restaurant with a sub-machine gun and firing the weapon he seriously injured a 47 year old man who was having dinner with his son. Diners desperately hid from the gunmen under tables in the chaos following the shooting, Sherry was attacked and killed by diners, being stabbed more than 27 times and beaten.
It has been reported that Sherry and the man he shot on Christmas Eve are well known to the Gardai for their involvement in Dublins drug-related crime and the current ‘Cordoff Feud’.
The Irish Sun reported that Sherry was a chief suspect in another shooting in 2019 saying:
“Sherry has been active for a number of years,’ a source told the outlet. ‘He was the chief suspect in the shooting in 2019 in Mulhuddart village and then on Christmas Eve he went and targeted another man. But he was never the brightest, and this shooting highlights it.”
Kinahan & Hutch Feud
Before this current feud, the Republic of Ireland saw organised crime bloodshed due to the high-profile conflict between the Kinahan and Hutch gangs, which began when Gary Hutch was murdered in Marbella in Spain. This escalated significantly following the shocking attack in February 2016 at the Dublin Regency Hotel.
Innocent Victims
Of course, if you are in an organised crime gang where violence is part of daily life, losing your life is a risk you take by being involved in this business. But there are always innocent people caught in the crossfire.
Just look at the shooting on Christmas Eve – why should innocent diners at the restaurant have been put through this traumatic experience in a public place when just eating dinner? An experience they will never forget.
But at least they left the restaurant with their lives as there are numerous killings of innocent people who were caught up in the violence of the gangs when they had nothing to do with the feuds.
One that sticks with me is the murder of Trevor O’Neill in Spain. He had travelled to Magaluf with his family to celebrate his 40th birthday with his partner Suzanne and three young children. Trevor was walking with his family when a hitman shot him dead in front of them. He took four bullets in the back and never saw the man who killed him. It is believed the hitman mistook Trevor for Jonathan Hutch, who he was ordered to murder by the Kinahan cartel. Trevor had nothing to do with drugs, he was just enjoying time with his family and just like that their lives were destroyed.
The Violence Continues
Increased violence is the concern now in Dublin. Following the killing of Tristan Sherry we know there will be further attacks in revenge, it is always the way in these feuds. Indeed, what happens next is being openly discussed on social media.
Just how many innocent people will be caught up in the violence this time?