TD: Geoghegan killers are “callous bastards”

Hunt begins for murderer of innocent rugby fanatic

"As long as people stay silent it makes our job particularly difficult." Gardai say

Reaction to the murder of innocent Limerick man Shane Geoghegan who was gunned down early Sunday morning by a hitman sent to kill a local drug supplier has been prominent in local and national papers today.

Speaking to the national Irish Examiner newspaper, local TD and personal friend of the victim, Niall Collins said,

“We played together with Garryowen. He qualified as a fitter and went abroad for a while. Shane was as sound a guy you could meet. Now the inevitable has happened with this feud — a fine person has been murdered. He is walking home and these fellows chase him and shoot him. They are callous bastards.”

Collins told the Limerick Leader that it was inevitable that it was going to happen saying,

"What has happened is the realisation of a lot of people's fears, because an innocent by-stander has been taken out in the crossfire. The gardai have told me that one of the biggest impediments (to tackling crime) is the right to silence. They could tell you what these people have for breakfast, but when they're asked to account for themselves, they stay schtum"

The 28 year old victim was the captain of Garryowen's third team. The clubs chairman, Ger Clarke said Shane was "the leader of the heart and soul of Garryowen" and said his team-mates and all members of the club were in shock and "deeply distressed" at the killing.

A Team-mate recounted fond memories to the Irish Independent today, describing celebrating their teams success with Shane last year,

”We had a great night in Bobby Byrne's and Anthony O'Dwyers' pubs in Wolfe Tone Street. He was a man you could always count on and was never found wanting on the field. He played a captain's role and winning the league was made all the more special with Gagsy as captain. What can you say? We are in bits about this. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

It’s now believed that up to 15 shots may have been fired at Shane Geoghegan as he left a friends house in Clonmore Kiltearagh to walk home and Gardai re iterate he had no involvement with criminal gangs in the city and was a completely innocent victim.

It’s understood the hitman who was sent there by a well known Southside crime gang, intended to kill a drug supplier of a rival gang but shot Mr. Geoghegan thinking he was the target.

Gardai think the gunman fled from the attack to a waiting dark-colored (blue or black) Renault Espace which reports say had been stolen a month ago and which was found burnt out in Rosbrien Sunday.

Funeral details
Requiem Mass will be held in St. Joseph's Church, O'Connell Avenue, on Wednesday at 11am. Funeral afterwards to Mungret Cemetery.

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