Collopy had told court people ‘tried to shoot him every week’

THE Limerick crime boss who died late on Sunday night after accidentally shooting himself in the head, only last month told a Limerick court that people were “trying to shoot him every week”.

Philip Collopy, 29, was on a life support machine at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital after the shooting incident at his home in St Munchin’s St, St Mary’s Park at about 2am on Saturday.

He was under constant threat from the McCarthy Dundon gang since the murder of a rival gang figure Eddie Ryan in November 2000.

A party was going on at a house and Collopy was showing friends a Glock semi automatic gun when the fatal bullet was fired.

It is believed he had removed a magazine clip containing ammunition from the weapon, but did not realise one bullet was still in the breech. The fatal bullet went through his head.

One of seven other people in the house at the time captured the fatal shooting on a mobile phone camera. It shows Collopy demonstrating how the gun was used in the kitchen.

Armed members of the Regional Support Unit were patrolling St Mary’s Park when they were flagged down by a distressed youth who told them that a man had been shot.

On entering the house, gardaí found Collopy in the kitchen room badly wounded.

After he was removed by ambulance to hospital, gardaí recovered a Glock and three magazines of ammunition. They also took possession of the mobile phone with the gruesome video of the shooting.

The gun and ammunition have been sent to the technical bureau in Dublin to ascertain if it can be linked to any other shooting incidents.

The life support machine was turned off on Sunday night after two of his brothers got home from Spain where they were on holiday.

Philip Collopy was a key figure in the Keane Collopy gang which operates a big drugs trade out of St Mary’s Park.

He and murdered gang member Kieran Keane, were the prime suspects in the murder of Eddie Ryan in November 2000 when he was drinking at the Moose bar after attending a funeral removal at nearby St John’s Cathedral.

Eddie Ryan was gunned to death. His son Kieran who was with him escaped uninjured as he had gone to the toilet when two masked gunmen burst into the crowded bar and singled out Ryan.

Two days previously Eddie Ryan tried to shoot Christy Keane, a leading member of the Keane Collopy gang, but his gun jammed.

Christy Keane was recently released from prison after serving seven and a half years for a drugs offence.

His son Liam was recently jailed by Limerick Circuit Court for 10 years with another man after they were found with a Glock following a high speed chase.

The McCarthy Dundon gang put Kieran Keane and Philip Collopy on a hit list after the Eddie Ryan murder.

In January 2003, the McCarthy Dundon gang drew up an elaborate plan to abduct the two and murder them.

They lured Kieran Keane and his close relative, Owen Treacy, to a meeting at a house in Fairgreen.

On entering the house, both men were overpowered at gunpoint.

Later that night they were brought to an isolated country road at Drombana and Kieran Keane was shot dead in the back of the head.

As the gang tried to shoot Owen Treacy the gun jammed and they proceeded to stab him 17 times and left him for dead.

Owen Treacy survived horrific wounds and his evidence led to five members of the McCarthy Dundon gang being jailed for life for the murder of Kieran Keane.

In October 2003, the McCarthy Dundons set another trap for Philip Collopy when they abducted a close associate of his, Michael Campbell McNamara who they forced at gun point to phone Collopy for a meeting outside the city.

Collopy suspected a trap and stayed put at his St Mary’s Park base.

Campbell McNamara was tortured and shot dead by the McCarthy Dundon gang.

During a recent trial at Limerick Circuit Court, Collopy who was a witness told the court that people were trying to shoot him every week. He showed the bullet proof vest he was wearing.

Last month, the High Court gave the Criminal Assets Bureau an order to sell a €60,000 land cruiser they seized from Collopy as the court was satisfied it came from the proceeds of crime.

There will be tight Garda security in Limerick this evening when Collopy’s remains are brought to St Mary’s church from Cross’s funeral home and tomorrow when his funeral takes place to Castlemungret cemetery.