Gun shots reported near Limerick home of former State witness April Collins

Sunday World

08-05-2025

Officers rushed to the scene following reports that a gun was fired in the Hyde Road area of Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick at approximately 1am
Gardai are investigating a sinister shooting incident near the Limerick home of former State witness April Collins in the early hours of this morning.
Officers rushed to the scene following reports that a gun was fired in the Hyde Road area of Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick at approximately 1am.
While no injuries have been reported, investigations are 'ongoing'.
Gardai pictured on the Hyde Road following a previous shooting incident in 2023
'An Garda Síochána is appealing to anyone who was in the Hyde Road area between 1am and 1.30am and who may have information about the incident to contact investigating gardaí,' a Garda spokesperson said.
'Individuals with mobile phone or dash-cam footage are also asked to make that footage available.'
Gardaí can be contacted at Roxboro Road Garda Station on 061 214 340, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
This latest incident follows a gun and bomb attack last month that sparked another tit-for-tat incident in the city.
April Collins
The Army's bomb disposal squad were called out twice in the run up to Easter as hostilities between the warring factions continued.
The incidents are linked to attacks that began in 2023, sparked by tensions between April's husband, Thomas O'Neill, and members of a drug gang.
The current feud between associates of the Collins family and a criminal gang linked to the McCarthy-Dundons has been ongoing for a number of years.
There have been dozens of incidents in the Ballinacurra Weston and Southill areas of the city, including several unreported gun attacks.
April Collins
News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025
The morning of Sunday, April 13, saw another attack in which a pipe bomb was again used and shots were reportedly fired at the house.
A car had been set alight and when gardaí arrived at the scene they saw a suspected explosive device and notified the Army.
The following Tuesday, residents had to be evacuated from their homes as the bomb squad were called in to deal with another bomb in the Prospect area.
The bomb was described by Gardaí as an 'an improvised device containing an accelerant'.
Thomas O'Neill
Gardaí in Limerick carried out 17 searches at various locations later that day which led to the seizure of cash and other goods with an estimated value of over €235,000, according to a Garda spokesperson.
'This search operation forms part of an ongoing Garda investigation aimed at disrupting a criminal group that is involved in an ongoing feud in the southside of Limerick City which has resulted in pipe bomb and arson attacks, the discharge of firearms, drug dealing and other serious incidents.'
Five vehicles were seized, a significant amount in cash, a quantity of suspected cannabis, a number of high-value watches and designer goods were also seized.
In February, a pipe bomb attack near April Collins' family home was caught on video in which a man is seen throwing a device into the back garden before exploding in a huge fireball moments later.
Also in February there was a firebomb attack at Kilmurry Court, Garryowen, in which no one was injured.
That attack happened 48 hours after a pipe-bomb was thrown at a house in O'Malley Park but failed to detonate.
Armed Garda units have continued to carry out regular checkpoints in Ballinacurra Weston, Southill and parts of Garryowen in a bid to curb the violence.
In January, shots were fired at a man on Hyde Road who escaped injury. In July 2023, a man was injured when a pipe bomb exploded in the same area, damaging two houses.
A month earlier a shot was fired near a group of people on Hyde Road in a day-light drive-by shooting and in May there was a shooting on the same road.
In August 2023, while carrying out a search of April Collins' family home on Hyde Road bullet holes were seen in a wall – but it was not clear when it happened.
Wayne Dundon
Tensions have also been heightened by campaigns of online harassment, with both sides accusing members of the rival factions of various criminal acts.
The suspected drug-dealers, who have clashed with members of the Collins family, are believed to be supplied by the gangland faction controlled by Eds McCarthy, a cousin of the infamous Dundon brothers.
Along with his brother 'Fat' John McCarthy the gang is considered one of the strongest now operating in the city.
April Collins gave evidence against John and Wayne, the brothers of her ex-partner Ger Dundon, who were both convicted of murder and jailed for life.
She later married infamous criminal Thomas O'Neill who is known to have several enemies and has been in conflict with other criminals while serving time for various offences.