Gardai braced for bloodbath in wake of gangster's death
The remains of Philip Collopy are removed by horse-drawn carriage from the St Mary's Church
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GARDAI fear a fresh gangland bloodbath in the wake of the death of one of Limerick's most notorious gangsters.
Detectives warned a new wave of violence may be launched by the notorious Dundon-McCarthy gang after Philip Collopy accidentally shot himself in the head last weekend.
The removal of Collopy has tilted the balance of power in favour of his deadly rivals in the bitter city feud.
The leaders of the Dundon-McCarthy faction feared 29-year-old Collopy, who was one of the main enforcers on the Keane-Collopy side and a ruthless criminal.
Reputation
Attempts had been made in the past to strike a deal with Collopy, who had a reputation for violence as well as unpredictability.
"They were afraid of Philip Collopy, mainly because he was a loose cannon, and with him out of the way, it leaves his outfit a lot more exposed and could put the Dundon-McCarthys in the driving seat," one senior garda officer last night told the Irish Independent.
"This is the first time the Collopys have suffered a loss since the feud started and we don't know yet what sort of impact the shooting will have on either side. But it does mean the power balance has shifted to the other side.
"With Collopy no longer there to defend his own family or his former associates, they are beginning to look a bit isolated."
Gardai are hopeful the unofficial contact that exists between individual members of the two factions could help prevent further bloodshed.
Officers point out that, despite the feud, there has been some crossover of personnel between the two gangs for specific crimes.
"They are doing deals all the time, irrespective of their gangs' position," one said.
In recent months, the Dundon-McCarthys have been more concerned with internal disputes within their own ranks than with their cross-city rivals.
Two young men were shot in the Ballinacurra-Weston area of Limerick last month after a falling out over the proceeds of drug trafficking. Previously, both men would have been regarded as drug dealers for the notorious outfit.
Another well-known member of the gang was jailed yesterday in Limerick's district court for five months for road traffic offences. An associate of the gang who fled the country following the murder of Shane Geoghegan returned to Limerick at the weekend.
All senior members of the Dundon-McCarthy gang are locked up or have left the country.
Former crimelord and head of the Keane gang, Christy Keane was released from prison last month and found a vastly changed crime scene. The 48-year-old has discovered that constant garda surveillance and investigations by the Criminal Assets Bureau have greatly hampered the gang's attempts to carry on with their dealings.
- Tom Brady and Barry Duggan
