Pubdate: Mon, 10 Nov 2008
Source: Irish Examiner (Ireland)
Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2008
Contact:  http://www.irishexaminer.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/144
Author: Jimmy Woulfe, Mid-West Correspondent

'OUTRAGE OF ALL OUTRAGES'

LIMERICK'S gang feud yesterday claimed the life of a  rugby captain 
who was gunned down in cold blood after  he was mistaken for a 
big-time drugs importer who had  moved into his neighbourhood.

Shane Geoghegan, aged 28, described as "one of the  brightest and the 
best" died in a hale of bullets at  around 1.30am.

It is believed he was struck up to 10 times.

Members of the McCarthy/Dundon gang are the main  suspects.

It is believed they went to kill a drugs importer who  supplies the 
rival Keane/Collopy gang but got the wrong  man.

Shane Geoghegan was captain of Garryowen rugby club's  third side and 
worked as a fitter.

The murder was carried out as he walked near his home  at Kilteragh 
estate in Dooradoyle, after watching the  Ireland-Canada 
international on TV with friends.

He had lined out for his club earlier against Shannon.

His only sister, Katie, died aged 12 some years ago  from leukaemia 
and he has one younger brother, Anthony.

A personal friend of the dead man, Niall Collins TD,  said: "This is 
the outrage of all outrages. I knew  Shane well. A lovely guy and a 
thorough gentleman, a  fine cut of a fellow.

"We played together with Garryowen. He qualified as a  fitter and 
went abroad for a while. Shane was as sound  a guy you could meet. 
Now the inevitable has happened  with this feud -- a fine person has 
been murdered. He  is walking home and these fellows chase him and 
shoot him. They are callous bastards."

Bullets were sprayed along the Clonmore cul-de-sac,  where he lived 
with his partner, from at least one  powerful handgun.

As he ran for his life the killers cornered Mr  Geoghegan at the back 
of a house at Clonmore where his  body was found by a patio door.

When gardai were called, Mr Geoghegan was already dead.

Gardai are satisfied that the intended target was a  known major 
drugs importer who also lives in Kilteragh  with his girlfriend and 
has a villa in Spain, from  which he recently returned. Shots were 
fired at the  drug lord in the neighbourhood more than a year ago.

A neighbour of Shane Geoghegan said: "He was one of the  brightest 
and the best.

"His only brother Anthony, who is a few years younger,  did 
engineering at Limerick Institute of Technology  where their uncle lectures.

"Shane idolised his mother Mary, who also lives in  Kilteragh, having 
moved from Gouldavoher just down the  road.

"His only sister Katie died some years ago and now the  family have 
lost a great son."

Shane's father is Tom Geoghegan and his family are well  known in 
Limerick -- having owned the Marian nursing  home in O'Connell Avenue.

After the body was removed to the Mid-Western Regional  Hospital a 
postmortem was carried out by state  pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy.

Supt Frank O'Brien, of Roxboro Road station, said: "The  victim had 
no criminal connection whatsoever and we  would appeal for anybody 
who may have any information  whatever to come forward."

Superintendent Kevin Donoghue said gardai were  appealing for anyone 
who might have information about a  black or blue Renault Espace seen 
in the area of the  crime and which was later found burnt out in the 
Rosbrien area to contact them.
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