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Irish Times
02-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Armed man in Carlow fatal shooting described as having ‘fascination' with guns
The man who fired shots in a Carlow town shopping centre before taking his own life, was described previously in court as having a 'fascination' with firearms. The description was made when he appeared before court on gun charges and was granted bail. He had allegedly bought guns on the darknet, including a G3 Heckler & Kock machine gun, a Remington M1911 handgun and two types of ammunition, which were discovered during a Garda operation in Co Kildare. Gardaí believed the man, who was in his early 20s, had purchased the guns for recreational reasons rather than any plan to carry out organised crimes. READ MORE However, that investigation into him and other suspects was significant in scale and involved Garda units that tackle serious crime, including the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and Emergency Response Unit. When the man appeared in court last year, gardaí initially objected to bail. He was eventually granted bail subject to strict conditions. The man who died in Carlow was still on bail pending his trial at the time of his death and had appeared in court last month for the latest hearing relating to his case. He was the only person wounded in the incident at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre just after 6pm on Sunday, believed to have been carried out using a shotgun. Shoppers fled the scene after seeing him with the gun and firing a number of shots. Garda Headquarters issued a statement on Sunday night confirming shots had been fired and a man had died. The statement said the deceased was a white Irishman. Confirmation of the dead man's ethnicity and nationality was publicly shared by the Garda after some far-right social media accounts claimed the incident was carried out by a foreign man. Some far-right social media users also described the incident as a mass shooting with multiple victims wounded. The decision to quickly confirm the nationality and ethnicity of a person of interest in events with a public safety dimension is becoming more common in international policing. It is being done in a bid to offset tensions and reduce the potential for violence stoked by some far-right actors based on disinformation. There were concerns the dead man had a device, either explosive or flammable, on his person when he died. For that reason his body was left in situ overnight at the Carlow shopping centre pending an examination by Defence Forces explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) experts. Early on Monday gardaí confirmed that work has been completed and the area has been declared safe, though a crime scene secure cordon remained in place at the shopping centre. 'The scene remains cordoned off while both the Garda Technical Bureau and the Office of the State Pathologist conduct examinations,' the Garda said, adding anyone with vehicles parked within the overnight cordon would be informed later in the day when they could collect them. An incident room has been established at Carlow Garda station and a senior investigating officer has been appointed to lead the inquiry. A Garda family liaison officer was also appointed to provide support to the dead man's family. The Garda investigation into the fatal firearms incident is ongoing. Anyone who recorded footage in or around the shopping centre between 6pm and 6.30pm on Sunday is asked to provide it to the investigation team. Though a young girl was injured during the incident, she was not wounded. While the circumstances of her sustaining that injury were yet to be determined, she was treated at the scene before being taken home by family members. She did not require hospital treatment. On Sunday night Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was 'deeply shocked and saddened' at the shooting incident. 'My thoughts are with the families affected and the local community in Carlow after what was a very serious and traumatic incident. I urge anyone who has information to speak to the gardaí.' Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan expressed his 'solidarity with those impacted' by the 'really shocking incident', which was 'something we never want or expect to happen in our communities'. 'Gun violence is very rare in Ireland, and I am determined that will remain the case,' he added. 'The area in Carlow is safe. We must now allow An Garda Síochána to investigate this incident fully.' Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris said he was briefed by Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Rossa Mulcahy about the assistance his Defence Forces personnel were providing to the operation. He was 'thinking of' the young injured girl and her family, as well as 'all those who witnessed this situation and the awful shock and upset it must have caused them'.
Sunday World
10-05-2025
- Sunday World
Trial delayed for three young men in ‘dark web' guns case
The trio are charged with possession of a G3 Heckler and Kock machine gun, a Remmington M1911 handgun and two types of ammunition at Ponsonby Bridge, Straffan, Co Kildare on March 2, 2024 Daniel Quinn Burke (far left) and Shane Kinsella (far right) A case against three young men – arrested in connection with the seizure of a cache of firearms allegedly purchased via the dark web – has been adjourned for a further month to allow for the completion of a book of evidence Evan Fitzgerald (21) of Portrushen, Kiltegan, Co Wicklow; Shane Kinsella (20) of Tynock Kiltegan, Co Wicklow and Daniel Quinn Burke (19) of Allendale Lawn, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow appeared before Judge Desmond Zaidan at Naas District Court on Wednesday. All three consented to an adjournment of one month sought by the state. Daniel Quinn Burke (far left) and Shane Kinsella (far right) News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025 The trio are charged with possession of a G3 Heckler and Kock machine gun, a Remmington M1911 handgun and two types of ammunition at Ponsonby Bridge, Straffan, Co Kildare on March 2nd 2024. No evidence was heard at Wednesday's sitting. When the men appeared previously, Detective Gavin Curran of the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau gave evidence that the bureau had been investigating firearms trafficking and performed a controlled stop of a vehicle at Ponsonby Bridge with support from the Emergency Response Unit. Detective Curran said it was alleged the firearms and ammunition were purchased on the dark web with Mr. Fitzgerald using a proton email account. The court was told Mr Fitzgerald had made full admissions and Det Curran said it was not believed the firearms were connected with organised crime and the defendants were not part of an organised crime group. Det Curran said it was alleged the guns were to be used for shooting in woods but not for hunting. 'Mr Fitzgerald has a fascination with firearms. He is big time into firearms,' said Det Curran. At that sitting, the court was told investigations were ongoing into who sold the guns. The court was told the three co-accused were childhood friends. Mr Fitzgerald worked at a steel yard while Mr Quinn Burke was an apprentice mechanic and Mr Kinsella was a student at SETU Carlow studying mechanical engineering. The court was told Mr Quinn Burke had driven the car and he and Mr Kinsella had known what was being carried in the vehicle. Gardaí had initially objected to bail but withdrew the application on the basis of strict conditions being imposed. These included the defendants surrender their passports, do not speak to each other and sign on daily at a Garda station.
BBC News
23-03-2025
- BBC News
Kilkenny: Man charged after €10.6m cocaine seizure
A man in his 60s has been charged after cocaine worth €10.6m (£8.4m) was seized in the Republic of man was arrested after gardaí (Irish police) seized 152kg of cocaine (subject to analysis), on Tuesday.A heavy goods vehicle was intercepted on the M9 in County Kilkenny shortly after 10:00 local time and there were searches of two business premises and a residential property in is expected to appear before a special sitting of Gorey District Court on Sunday. Gardaí from the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and Waterford Drug and Crime units carried out the searches as part of Operation operation was supported by the Revenue Customs Service, the Garda Dog Unit and the Stolen Motor Vehicle Investigation unit.
BBC News
19-03-2025
- BBC News
Kilkenny: Man arrested after cocaine worth €10.6m seized
A man in his 60s has been arrested following the seizure of cocaine worth €10.6m (£8.4m) in the Republic of (Irish police) said 152kg of cocaine (subject to analysis), was found on Tuesday in "a sophisticated vehicle concealment".A heavy goods vehicle was intercepted on the M9 in County Kilkenny shortly after 10:00 local time and there were searches of two business premises and a residential property in from the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and Waterford Drug and Crime units carried out the searches as part of Operation Tara. The operation was supported by the Revenue Customs Service, the Garda Dog Unit and the Stolen Motor Vehicle Investigation Commissioner Angela Willis of the Garda Organised and Serious Crime unit said it was "a further example of its commitment to target the enablers and facilitators of organised crime".The investigation is ongoing.
