Gangster who mentored target of Finglas drone pipe-bomb admits role in attempted hit

Sunday World

10-05-2025

'Fishy' Fitzgerald was charged with facilitating the attempted killing of Gary 'Canary' Carey in 2021
The scene of the botched pipe bomb attack in Finglas on Monday
Patrick 'Fishy' Fitzgerald is believed to be the mentor of the young gangster. Fitzpatrick is from the Glenties Park area of Finglas in Dublin
An associate of the teenager who was the intended target of a drone pipe-bomb attack last weekend has pleaded guilty to his role in an attempted murder that was part of a separate west-Dublin feud.
Patrick 'Fishy' Fitzgerald (48) pleaded guilty this week to facilitating a criminal organisation nearly four years ago.
Fitzgerald, with an address at Glenties Park in Finglas, Dublin, was initially charged with the attempted murder of now deceased drug lord Gary Carey at Ballyfermot Crescent on November 17, 2021.
Sources have claimed that he played a key role in 'mentoring' the teenager who was at the centre of last weekend's botched drone pipe-bomb attack in Finglas.
Gary 'The Canary' Carey
'His younger associate always looked up to him – Fishy has been up to his neck in organised crime for decades and has been a willing participant in multiple feuds in Finglas and, of course, in other areas of the capital,' a source said.
At the Central Criminal Court on Thursday, the gangland figure pleaded guilty that between November 11, 2021 and November 18, 2021, both dates inclusive, he participated in or contributed to activities intending to facilitate the commission by the criminal organisation of a serious offence.
The charges relate to the attempted murder of Gary 'the Canary' Carey, who survived on that occasion after being shot a number of times – one of three times he was shot at in the space of 15 months.
Carey was sitting in a car in the front driveway of a house when a gunman allegedly fired nine bullets through the windscreen.
It is understood associates of Fitzgerald had taken up a contract to murder Carey – a major gangland figure.
Carey was eventually shot by a Ballyfermot hitman in the underground car park of the Hilton Hotel in Kilmainham on June 24, 2022. He died from his injuries at St James's Hospital six weeks later.
Fitzgerald is not a suspect in the murder case and is believed to have been in custody when the shooting occurred.
A chief suspect has been identified in the killing and many other persons of interest, including females, are expected to be charged with a variety of offences.
Fitzgerald is not a suspect in the murder case and is believed to have been in custody when the shooting occurred.
'The organised crime gang eventually got the job done, but Fitzgerald was not involved on the day,' a source said.
He is currently in jail serving a lengthy term along with two of his associates for his role in an aggravated burglary.
The criminals broke into a home in the early morning, terrorising a couple in their 70s, their daughter and a six-year-old grandchild. They tied up the man, dragged his wife, daughter and grandchild out of their beds and started making demands, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard in February.
The court heard one of the men made demands relating to a bank the man used to work for, but he had been retired for 20 years and was unable to provide any information.
The scene of the botched pipe bomb attack in Finglas on Monday
Fitzgerald was jailed for seven-and-a-half years after the court heard he had 67 previous convictions, including violent disorder, theft and public order offences.
His younger associate is now at the centre of a feud in Finglas that accelerated after his gang took ownership of two electric motorbikes.
The Sunday World has learnt that a dispute over the Surron electric motorbikes has played a major part in the increasing tension.
'These bikes are used for the distribution of drugs, particularly crack cocaine, in the locality. The bikes are considered a very useful and valuable commodity in this trade,' a source said.
It is understood the bikes were among four seized by gardaí during a number of raids this week in the aftermath of the botched drone pipe-bomb attack.
As well as the motorbikes, a pump-action shotgun, 26 rounds of ammunition, a tracking device, phones and other technology were recovered.
Fitzgerald's young associate has been in hiding, but is believed to have attended a family event yesterday and is plotting his next move
Around €10,000 of cannabis and €4,200 of heroin were also seized.
Detectives also became aware that a home occupied by a vulnerable female in Finglas was being used by the Fishy gang as a stash house.
The woman and her young children have now left that property and are said to be in fear for their lives.
This practice, known as 'cuckooing', is where a home – usually the home of a vulnerable person – is taken over by criminals who use it as a base for illegal activities.
Meanwhile, Fitzgerald's young associate has been in hiding, but is believed to have attended a family event yesterday and is plotting his next move.
Fitzgerald is due to be sentenced on May 26 at the Central Criminal Court on the organised crime charges in relation to the Carey shooting.
He is suspected of having been involved in numerous feud incidents, including gangland warfare against the gang in which jailed criminal Glen 'Mr Flashy' Ward was a major player.
This includes his suspected role as a getaway driver in December 2022 in which shots were fired at Ward and his brother Eric O'Driscoll.
The attempted murder was classified as being linked to the Finglas feud
O'Driscoll was shot in the buttocks after both men had signed on at Finglas garda station that night as part of bail conditions.
They left in a taxi, which was then rammed by another vehicle. They jumped out and ran, and multiple shots were fired.
The attempted murder was classified as being linked to the Finglas feud, which has included dozens of violent incidents this year and the gun murder of James 'Whela' Whelan (29) by the Mr Flashy gang the previous April.
Whelan was a key ally of Fishy Fitzgerald, who is widely considered to have mentored the target of last week's drone pipe-bomb attack into organised crime.
Like his older associate, the younger man has had run-ins with the Mr Flashy gang, which is now led by a 27-year-old gangster who is suspected of being behind the drone incident, an arson attack and a shooting all in the past week.
Fitzgerald was previously threatened with decapitation by the same mob as part of a row over a horse
The pipe-bomb target was attacked with a wheel brace, hammer and golf club in 2022 as part of a row with the same gang.
After the assault, the then teenager was rushed to Temple Street hospital, but was discharged after a number of days.
He suffered a fractured eye socket and broken nose, along with other injuries.
His mentor has also suffered serious violence in the past, including a savage assault in August 2017 when his younger associate was blamed for 'interfering' with a motorbike allegedly linked to Kinahan cartel hitman Trevor Byrne.
Trevor Byrne
Fitzgerald was previously threatened with decapitation by the same mob as part of a row over a horse belonging to a teenager in May 2016.
In 2014, he was kicked out of his own gang and was given a severe beating.
At the time, sources said he had fallen out of favour with his own gang and was accused of being a 'garda tout' after serious criminal charges against him were dropped.