Dundon is back in city as firebomb sparks drugs war

Gardai are closely monitoring the city's criminal underworld as Dundon's return threatens the peace that Limerick has enjoyed since officers dismantled the notorious McCarthy-Dundon gang.

Rivals

Dundon (27) returned to his home base in Hyde Road over recent days.

His relocation has coincided with gang associates upping their campaign on rival drug dealers who have established a small hold on the illegal narcotics trade in the region.

A rival criminal had his car firebombed after Dundon returned.

The criminal is also from the southside of Limerick and is a close associate of a convicted killer, while another relative was previously killed.

Investigating gardai believe the firebomb attack is a move by the McCarthy-Dundon gang to regain control of their hold on the drugs trade.

"It's a turf war - simple as that," an informed source said.

Dundon has been spotted at numerous locations across the city since his return.

He was released from Wheatfield prison last January.

Dundon was granted early release with remission after he was imprisoned for five years for violent disorder as part of an extortion campaign against a Limerick nightclub promoter.

He was collected by distant cousin Stephen 'Dougie' Moran, who was shot dead in March.

Moran was also a driver and bodyguard for convicted drugs trafficker John Gilligan

Since his release, Dundon has spent the majority of his time in London and continental Europe, but has returned to Limerick on an intermittent basis.

The McCarthy-Dundon gang's influence in the Limerick area of Ballinacurra-Weston has been dismantled by gardai over recent years.

In February 2011, Ger Dundon, who had 99 criminal convictions, was jailed for violent disorder at Sarsfield Avenue, Garryowen, Limerick, on February 17 of the previous year.

The jailing arose following attempts by other members of the McCarthy-Dundon gang to collect €20,000 they believed they were owed by nightclub promoter Mark Heffernan.

Dundon's barrister, Brendan Nix, said at a hearing last year that after his release from prison, his client intended going to England.

innocent

Mr Nix said that Dundon was aware he had no future in Ireland and that his name was going to follow him "for the rest of his life".

Last year, Dundon's brother John (30) was found guilty of the 2008 murder of innocent rugby player Shane Geoghegan and sentenced to life imprisonment

This year, John and Wayne Dundon were found guilty of the 2009 murder of Roy Collins.

Dessie Dundon is serving a life sentence for the 2003 murder of Kieran Keane.

hnews@herald.ie