Barr Tribunal: Some hours before he was shot dead by gardaí at Abbeylara, Co Longford, in April 2000, Mr John Carthy told a friend he would give himself up if he was allowed a solicitor, the Barr tribunal has heard.
A solicitor was not brought to Abbeylara at any time during the 25-hour siege.
Mr Kevin Ireland, a friend and former workmate of the late Mr Carthy, told the tribunal he was working in Galway when, in the early afternoon of April 20th 2000, he received a phone call from Mr Carthy.
Mr Ireland had heard radio reports of the incident in Abbeylara but was not aware his friend was involved. Mr Carthy told him that he was in the house with the gun and there were "loads of guards" outside.
"I told him not to do anything stupid, and he said he wouldn't," Mr Ireland said. "I told him to give himself up and he said he would if he had a solicitor. He asked me to get him a solicitor."
When asked by council for the tribunal, Mr Michael McGrath, if Mr Carthy had told him he had fired shots, Mr Ireland said: "He told me he had nearly every window broken out of the house".
He remained calm throughout the conversation, Mr Ireland said. "I couldn't believe how calm. I couldn't believe it was him in the house. He just sounded like he didn't care," he said.
Mr Carthy told his friend he had only fired shots to keep the gardaí away from the house. Mr Ireland said he did tell Mr Carthy "not to do anything stupid" but he didn't think he intended to harm himself or anyone else.
"I think he said 'I haven't a notion of it. I'm just trying to keep them away from the house'."
Mr Carthy then asked Mr Ireland to contact a solicitor called "Mick Finucane".
"He said: "You get me one [a solicitor\]. My own family wouldn't even get me one".
The phone line then went dead. Mr Ireland said he tried to call Mr Carthy back, but his mobile appeared to be switched off.
During a dispute Mr Carthy was having with his former employers in January 2000, he gave Mr Ireland a piece of paper with Mr Finucane's name and address on it. A few days later Mr Ireland returned the piece of paper, he told the tribunal.
Following the phone conversation, shortly before 12.30 p.m., Mr Ireland spoke with two workmates, Mr John McCormack and Mr John Hennessy, who advised him to go to the gardaí.
He told the tribunal that he returned to work to collect his wages, went for lunch and did a few other "bits and pieces" before going to the gardaí at Mill Street, Galway, at around 2.30 p.m.
Mr Ireland asked gardaí not to tell Mr Carthy he had been to see them. "He might not have liked me going to the gardaí. He would sooner have me try to get the solicitor myself, because he didn't like the gardaí."
When asked why he did not go to the gardaí straight away Mr Ireland replied: "I didn't think it would end like that."