Dublin killing not gang-related, say gardai

A man shot dead in a Dublin pub on Monday night had been involved in a number of minor disputes in recent times which gardaí say could be linked to his murder.

Mr Thomas Canavan (36), a resident of Inchicore, was gunned down as he sat in Cleary's public house on Sarsfield Road, Inchicore, at 9.15 p.m. on Monday. There were around 40 people in the pub.

The gunman parked his motorcycle on the pavement outside the premises. He walked through the front door to the back of the pub, where Mr Canavan was drinking, and fired three shots. One of the shots fatally injured the father of nine.

The killer wore a motorcycle helmet during the attack. He is believed to have been alone.

Gardaí said while the killing bore all the hallmarks of a professional killing they do do not think it was gang-related. Mr Canavan was not a criminal figure, and he was not known to gardaí.

"We have heard some reports that he was involved in a couple of rows, incidents in pubs, in recent times. But none of those were reported to us," said one Garda source.

"At the moment we will go about checking those, and hopefully in time we will identify people that may be able to help us." The pub's entrance is monitored by CCTV cameras, and gardaí hope footage might advance the investigation. Mr Canavan lived at Myra Close, Inchicore.

Local people said he had just become involved with coaching an under-age team connected to St Patrick's Athletic football club.

Pensioner Mr Tony Carty, who was drinking in Cleary's at the time of the attack, said the scene was one of panic after the shots.

"It didn't sound like a gun going off at all; I thought it was a banger or a car back-firing.

"Some of the women rushed into the part of the pub where it happened and they all started screaming.

"Then the staff told us that we would have to leave. It all happened very quickly."

Mr James Keane, who lives beside Cleary's, said he saw the gunman park his motorcycle and walk into the pub.

"He didn't panic or run, he just parked the bike, and walked into the pub. Then I heard a few bangs, but I didn't see him leaving."

Cleary's was the scene of another shooting last October. On that occasion a man armed with a shotgun walked into the bar looking for another man. He fired one shot, the pellets from which sprayed one patron, Mr Francis Kelly (67), in the face, leaving him badly injured.

Mr Canavan's murder was the tenth execution-style killing in Dublin so far this year.

Gardaí at Kevin Street have urged anybody with any information to come forward.

They are particularly keen to speak to anyone who was in the bar at the time of the murder, many of whom left before gardaí arrived.