Date set for pub objection appeal involving 'godfather' of Dundon crime family
An appeal hearing has been set for a man who enlisted one of Scotland Yard's previously listed 'most wanted' killers to appear as a witness for him in a court case where he objected to a publican renewing a pub licence.
Last February, Anthony Kelly (60s), of Southill, Limerick, failed in an application before Limerick District Court in which he objected to Eamonn O'Rahilly, owner of The Spotted Dog pub, renewing his licence to operate the pub.
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Mr O'Rahilly had previously barred both Mr Kelly and convicted killer Kenneth Dundon from the pub.
The appeal was listed on Monday morning at Limerick Circuit Court where Judge Fiona O'Sullivan heard that all the parties in the case were present and ready to proceed. However the appeal was adjourned to next Friday, May 16th, for hearing.
Kenneth Dundon, the father of notorious killer brothers Wayne, John and Dessie Dundon, appeared as a witness for Mr Kelly at the original hearing last February.
The court then heard that Mr Dundon (60s) had been jailed for six years after he was convicted of the manslaughter of a man, whom it was heard 'drowned in his own blood' after Dundon stabbed him a number of times.
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The court heard that on April 15th, 2024, Anthony Kelly was playing cards in The Spotted Dog when Mr Dundon, of his own volition, entered the pub, ordered a drink and went and sat with Mr Kelly's friends.
The two men bought each another drinks and left the pub together without any issue.
However, a barman on duty on the night, Shane O'Callaghan, gave evidence that the atmosphere in the pub suddenly 'changed' when Mr Dundon arrived.
Mr O'Callaghan said, knowing the 'history' of the Dundon crime family, he telephoned the pub's owner, Mr O'Rahilly, to let him know he was 'fearful' if a potential problem in the pub because of Mr Dundon's presence there.
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Mr O'Rahilly also gave evidence in court that he was 'aware of Mr Dundon and his reputation'.
Mr O'Rahilly said he was not in the pub and that he told Mr O'Callaghan that 'assistance was on the way' and he would get to the pub 'as soon as I could'.
Just before Mr O'Rahilly arrived at the pub, Mr Kelly and Mr Dundon exited the premises.
Mr O'Rahilly said that when Mr Kelly arrived at the pub on the next day, he told him he 'wasn't happy with Dundon' being in his pub.
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Mr O'Rahilly said he reminded Mr Kelly that Mr Dundon 'was a member of a family that was troublesome, and that his presence at the bar had made customers and staff concerned and nervous'.
'I was not happy to run the pub under such conditions which would exist if Dundon kept coming in,' Mr O'Rahilly told the court.
Mr O'Rahilly said he replied 'yes' when Mr Kelly asked him if he was also barred.
On April 17th, Mr Kelly and Mr Dundon – who were both barred at this stage – returned to the pub.
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Mr O'Rahilly told the court: 'I felt they were trying to compel me to serve them and their associates with a view to trying to run the pub from outside the counter'.
Mr O'Rahilly said he felt he 'would lose control' of the pub if he allowed Mr Dundon and Mr Kelly back as customers.
'Mr Kelly was trying to coerce me into a situation by showing me who his friends were, who he was associated with, and telling me I would be alright because he would keep an eye on things,' Mr O'Rahilly claimed.
Mr Kelly and Mr Dundon each told the court they were surprised when they found out they were not welcome at the club as there had been no trouble on the night they were both in the pub.
They also both denied making any threats or trying to intimidate Mr O'Rahilly.
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Mr Kelly told the court he returned to the pub with Mr Dundon to try to 'resolve' matters with Mr O'Rahily and he described his ban from the pub as 'unfair' and 'prejudiced'.
Cross-examining Kenneth Dundon in court, Mr O'Rahilly's barrister, Thomas Wallace-O'Donnell, put it to the witness that he was 'a member of a profoundly infamous family... the father of the Dundon family, the Godfather, the paterfamilias of the family'.
Kenneth Dundon replied: 'I'm a pensioner, I'm no Godfather of nothing'.
Mr Kelly, who is being represented for the appeal hearing by barrister Antoinette Simon BL, has convictions for operating a shebeen, possessing illegal tobacco and hijacking.
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