Garda resolve ‘will not be shaken’ by recent murders

An Garda Síochána will work tirelessly to bring those responsible for the recent series of gang-related killings in Dublin to justice, a senior member of the force has said.

Speaking after two further killings in the city on Monday night, assistant commissioner John Twomey said the resolve of his officers would not be shaken by the recent upsurge in violence.

He said the standard of evidence needed for murder trials was very high which meant such investigations took time.

Michael Barr (35) was shot dead while in the Sunset House Pub in Summerhill in Dublin 1 just hours before Thomas Farnan (37) was killed at his home in Clondlakin in the west of the city.

The killing of Barr has been linked to the ongoing Kinahan-Hutch feud while the Farnan killing was thought to be related to a local dispute.

Press conference
At a press conference in Dublin on Tuesday, gardaí said the Summerhill killing happened when two armed men, who were wearing balaclavas, entered the Sunset House at about 9.30pm.

A number of shots were fired and a postmortem will determine if Barr was wounded by shots fired by one or both of the gunmen.

The men left the pub and got into a silver Audi A6, driven by a third man, which was waiting outside.

The vehicle drove towards Ballybough and down Richmond Road and across the Drumcondra Road. The car was found burned out on Walsh Road in Drumcondra.

Barr’s body was removed from the scene on Tuesday morning after forensic officers examined the pub.

He had been acquitted of terror-related charges when brought before the courts. His home was searched last week as part of the inquiry into the murder of Kinahan associate David Byrne (33), from Crumlin, in the Regency Hotel in February.

Clondalkin killing
Regarding the Clondalkin killing, gardaí said Farnan was targeted by a lone man who was said to have been wearing a balaclava and a black tracksuit and runners.

The man arrived at Farnan’s house at Kilcronan Close at about 11.50pm, entered the hallway and shot him dead. A large area around the house where the murder took place has been sealed off.

The attacker is believed to have ran in the direction of the Grand Canal and it is understood that an area of the canal may remain sealed off for a number of days while garda divers search for a murder weapon.

He is described as wearing all black clothing, black runners, black tracksuit and may have been wearing a balaclava; he is also described as being short in height.

Farnan had a history of chaotic offending which began in his teenage years. However, he had only served two short prison sentences for theft offences and had not been charged with any crimes for more than a decade.

Gardaí have spoken to those close to Farnan in an effort to establish if they knew of any reason why somebody might want him dead. His criminal activities were also being probed in the search for a possible motive for his murder and to help identify suspects.

Mr Twomey’s colleague, assistant commissioner John O’Mahony, said he would urge those involved in the gang-feud, which has claimed five lives this year, to sit back and take stock, as a drawn out series of murders was not going to help anybody.

Witness appeal
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses, particularly those people who were in the Clondalkin prior to the incident and immediately after the shooting and who may have information, or who may have seen anything unusual or suspicious to contact them at Clondalkin Garda station on 01 666 7600, the Garda confidential line on 1800 666111 or any Garda station.