Ratt's €30k offer to avenge gun attack on disabled brother

Niall O'Connor

Gang boss wants revenge

FEARED gang boss Brian Rattigan placed a €30,000 price on the head of rival criminals who tried to murder his brother, the Herald has learnt.

Rattigan was left "fuming" after gunmen fired shots at the family home while his disabled brother, Jason Rattigan Dunphy, was wheelchair bound inside.

Sources have confirmed that rival criminals carried out a late-night shooting at the Rattigan home in the south inner city in the 2005 attack -- but failed to kill their target.

The Limerick-based criminals who fired the shots were closely connected with Rattigan's arch rival, "Fat" Freddie Thompson.

Tensions between Brian Rattigan (31) and members of the Thompson gang hit fever pitch following the 2001 murder of Declan Gavin (20).

He was the first victim of the bloody Crumlin/Drimnagh feud -- which eventually led to 15 more lives being taken.

Tensions were high for much of 2005, and one of the highest-profile attacks of the year occurred at the Rattigan home.

Jason Dunphy Rattigan, who died last week following a long illness, was one of a number of occupants in the house during the shooting.

He had no criminal connections, but sources say he was targeted as part of ongoing reprisals that followed the murder of Gavin.

"King Ratt" -- who is serving a life sentence -- subsequently sought to target members of the rival Thompson gang whom he held responsible for the botched attempt.

A source explained: "When Brian Rattigan found out that his brother was almost killed, he flipped and immediately ordered a hit on those he held responsible. He was willing to offer €30,000 to carry out a revenge killing."

The Herald understands that one of Rattigan's close associates had been contacted shortly before the attack on Jason Dunphy Rattigan's home and alerted to the fact his life was under threat.

The associate was warned that members of the "Fat" Freddie gang were planning to take him or other Rattigan associates.

cemetery

The botched shooting, which occurred at 10pm on July 22, 2005, was investigated by gardai, but no one was charged over the matter.

Jason Dunphy Rattigan was buried in a Dublin cemetery this week after losing his battle with a long-term illness.

His jailed brother was refused permission to attend, but paid tribute to him in a letter which read: "I'll miss your strong handshake and your big mallet head."

hnews@herald.ie