16-05-2025
Violent Mountjoy prisoners moved over fears rival gangs could strike
At least 10 violent inmates have been moved out of Mountjoy Prison because of physical disputes between three rival gangs.
Warders say tension at the country's biggest jail is on a knife edge because of the feuding and extreme overcrowding.
The row on the D wing which contains almost 200 prisoners - 100 more than normal - involved members of the Kinahan cartel, a gang from west Dublin and a number of hard-nosed Northside criminals.
The ten were transferred practically overnight last week to other prisons around the country to reduce the risk of more violent outbreaks. Among those moved was Trevor Byrne, a high profile Kinahan Cartel associate.
The Finglas man is serving a 17 and a half year sentence after being convicted of firearm offenses, armed robbery, false imprisonment, threats to kill and unlawful seizure of a vehicle.
He has previously been quizzed by Gardai over involvement in the Hutch-Kinahan feud which left 18 people dead.
He was arrested and detained over the murder of the Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch's brother Eddie who was killed just days after the Regency Hotel shootings in 2016.
Byrne was later released without charge and fled the country to England for a while afterwards.
He is regarded as a major figure in Dublin's gangland and has 44 previous convictions including firearm offences.
A Mountjoy source said: "Members of these three different gangs have been at each other's throats in recent weeks. There have been a number of fights and disputes between them.
"The management decided to get all the ringleaders out and move them to other prisons around the country before things got out of hand and someone was either killed or seriously injured.
"Tension in Mountjoy is bad enough with overcrowding, never mind these gangs starting a prison turf war against each other."
"There are now around 1,000 prisoners here most nights with two or three prisoners in some cells and many sleeping on mattresses on the floors. It is going to get worse before it gets better.
"Those who have been transferred might be brought back here in a month or so if they behave themselves."
