by Andrew Carey
THE success of the “up front” policing strategy adopted by the Limerick Garda Division can be measured by the fact that more than 60 gang members have been jailed in the last ten years.
And Chief Superintendent Dave Sheahan puts the achievement into context by stating that Limerick is a far safer place since the incarceration of some of the city’s most feared criminals.
Limerick’s most senior police officer says that maintaining the peace and reducing the possibility of a new breed of criminal emerging to take over the gangland legacy are the main challenges now confronting the force.
Murderers, drug dealers and hitmen have been jailed as the bulk of both the McCarthy/Dundon and the rival Keane/Collopy gang are now behind bars.
But this success has come at a price and the loss of innocent life is the terrible legacy of the dark days of the Limerick gang wars.
Rugby player Shane Geoghegan and nightclub doorman Brian Fitzgerald died at the hands of gangland gunmen. Convictions have been secured against the perpetrators while charges have been brought against two men for the murder businessman Roy Collins in 2009.
John Dundon (30) is serving life in Portlaoise for the murder of Shane Geoghegan. he is also serving five and half years for intimidating April Collins. Gunman Barry Doyle is also serving life for acting on Dundon’s order.
Dessie Dundon (29) is serving life in Portlaoise for the murder of Kieran Keane in 2002. David “Frog Eyes” Stanners; James McCarthy, Christopher “Smokie” Costelloe and Anthony “Noddy” McCarthy were also similarly convicted.
Wayne Dundon (35) is serving six years in Cloverhill Prison for intimidating April Collins and is on remand after being charged with the murder of Roy Collins in 2009.
Ger Dundon (25) is due for release from Cloverhill Prison in the next number of months after serving five years for violent disorder where he tried to extort €20,000 from a night club promoter.
Nathan Kileen (22) is serving five years in Portlaoise for violent disorder and is on remand charged with the murder of Roy Collins.
Brian Collopy (40) is serving six years in Portlaoise for threatening Willie Moran and with the intention of perverting the course of justice.
Kieran Collopy (38) is serving five years in Portlaoise for threatening to kill Willie Moran
Damien Collopy (23) is serving a five year sentence for also threatening to kill Willie Moran and also is in Portlaoise.
Kenneth Collopy (22) is serving life in Portlaoise Prison for the murder of Daniel Fitzgerald in December 2009
Vincent Collopy (34) is in custody in Bulgaria following the seizure of drugs and firearms. Jonathan Collopy (26) is also in a Bulgarian prison in connection with the seizure of the illegal contraband.
Philip Collopy was killed when he accidentally shot himself in the head in 2009.
Shane Mason (31) is a cousin of the Collopy’s and was jailed in Portlaoise for the attempted murder of Daniel Phillips in May 2010.
Liam Keane (29) is serving ten and half years in Portlaoise for the unlawful possession of a gun and was pictured giving the two fingers to a photographer when the murder trial of Eric Leamy collapsed.
Kieran Ryan (29) is the son of murdered Eddie Ryan and is serving eight years at the Midlands Prison for the suspicious possession of a gun.
Eddie Ryan (30) is also in the Midlands Prison on a firearms conviction and is serving six years for that offence.
Gary Campion (30) is serving two life sentences in Mountjoy for the murders of Brian Fitzgerald and Frank Ryan
James Martin Cahill is also serving life in Mountjoy for Brian Fitzgerald’s murder.
John McCarthy (42) was convicted of the illegal possession of €145,000 worth of heroin and is serving 14 years in the Midlands Prison.
