Gunman dies of heroin overdose

FOLLOWING the accidental death in Limerick of crime boss Philip Collopy, another known and feared gunman from O’Malley Park has been found dead in London from a suspected heroin overdose.

John Creamer, aged 35, survived 15 bullet wounds in a gun attack in Limerick on October 11, 2001.

He confounded doctors when he survived 15 entry and 15 exit wounds to the upper body.

He was suspected of shooting a well-known west Clare businessman at his home six years ago.

The businessman survived a number of bullet wounds.

After the shooting, Creamer stayed in a mobile home owned by a relative of Michael Campbell McNamara, aged 23.

Some months later, the McCarthy Dundon gang murdered Mr Campbell McNamara.

Creamer moved to Co Tipperary and was arrested last July in a Limerick hotel with a false passport.

He told gardaí who arrested him that he had to be careful how he travelled as he had been previously shot in a machine gun attack.

Creamer was related to members of the McCarthy Dundon gang, but fell foul of gang members who ordered him to be shot in October 2001.

Doctors at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital said they had never seen a person survive the amount of wounds he had received to the head, neck, chest, arms and legs.

When interviewed in his hospital bed at the time, he said: “They have taken 15 bullets out of me, but there are still bits of bullets lodged in various parts of my body.

“They told me I’d be in intensive care for months, but I was back in a ward in three weeks. I don’t have a clue who did it. He was wearing a balaclava and the gun looked like an Uzi submachine gun.

“I don’t want any revenge or anything like that. He fired and I hit the deck. I tried to get up, but couldn’t. He kept firing and was only about 10ft away from me.

“I collapsed. I was conscious through it all. Up to eight surgeons were working on me when I was brought in. I was 12 hours on the table.”

Creamer said, at the time, he planned to keep one of the 15 bullets and put it on a chain around his neck.

Meanwhile, Limerick gardaí have found a Glock semiautomatic handgun in a search operation in Clonlara on the outskirts of the city.

A man, aged 18, was arrested by detectives based at Mayorstone Garda Station and is being held there.