Firebomb victims’ stepfather killed in Southill shooting
Noel Crawford was killed in what gardaí believe was a case of mistaken identity outside his mother’s home in Southill as he celebrated his 40th birthday.
Sheila Murray, the mother of Millie, six, and Gavin, four, confirmed last night that she had a relationship with the dead man more than 18 years ago. She and Noel Crawford had two children Celine, 17, and Noelle, 15.
Ms Murray said: “I haven’t seen Noel for 15 years and he was a lovely quiet guy. Celine kept in touch with him.”
Gardaí say the attack on the Murray children and the murder of their step-father Noel Crawford were totally unconnected.
Gardaí believe Mr Crawford was mistaken for his brother, who is on a feud gang hit list.
This is the third feud-related murder in Limerick this year.
Meanwhile, the man in his 20s who was hit by a shot through the window of his home in Cliona Park, Moyross, on Sunday night at 11pm, could be partially paralysed for life, doctors have said.
The man was shot in the shoulder as he sat in the living room of the house. That shooting was believed to be drug related.
Noel Crawford was celebrating his 40th birthday at his mother’s home in O’Malley Park when he was hit by a single bullet to the stomach after he went to investigate a noise outside.
The shooting happened at around 2.45am and he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.
It is believed that a gang on the North side of Limerick received a false report that a woman had been abducted by the McCarthy-Dundon gang and went on a rampage attack.
The dead man’s brother, Paul Crawford, has strong links with the McCarthy-Dundon gang and four attempts have been made on his life over the past six months.
The rival Keane/Collopy gang, based in St Mary’s Park on the north side of the city, are understood to have put out a contract on the 32-year-old.
A gunman shot the dead man’s five-year-old nephew Jordan Crawford a month ago on the same spot where he was killed yesterday.
That attack was directed at Paul Crawford, but little Jordan was hit in the thigh.
Three nights prior to the November attack, the family home at 567 O’Malley Park was raked with automatic gunfire, narrowly missing family members who were sitting in front sitting-room.
Noel Crawford had no criminal record and lived in another part of O’Malley Park with his partner and six children. He worked as part-time security man.
His sister, Ann Crawford, who lives less than 50 yard from her mother’s home, openly wept at the scene of the shooting.
She said: “He was a lovely, lovely man, nobody had a bad word for Noel. He just came over to celebrate his birthday with a few cans.”
A neighbour who asked not to be named said: “Noel had nothing to do with what is going on, nothing like that. He was like that young lad in Dublin — in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Fr Pat Hogan, PP of Southill’s Holy Family parish, said he was awakened by the shooting.
He said: “I live just up the road. It seemed to be a case of the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was in bed at around 3am when I heard one shot and then I heard about five more shots.
“This is the second murder in the parish since I came here in September. It is unbelievable stuff and every murder must be condemned. What it does is add to the whole pain body of this place.
“There are people here who have had sons and family members murdered and who died in all kinds of strange circumstances over the years.
“All their memories are reopened this morning. Isn’t this some Christmas?”
