Collins family calls for internment of Limerick gang

FURTHER intimidation of the family of murdered Limerick businessman Roy Collins has led his father to call for the internment of the McCarthy-Dundon gang.

Less than two weeks after the murder of Roy Collins, 35, at the family pub/casino in Roxboro Shopping Centre, his father, Stephen, and brother, Steve, were targeted last Tuesday by gang members who made open threats that they would be next to be shot.

Mr Collins called for a march in the city to protest at the murderous activities of the city’s feuding gangs. That was supported by Mayor John Gilligan, Cllr Kevin Kiely, chairman of the city joint policing committee and Cllr Jim Long, who represents the Ballinacurra Weston area where the McCarthy Dundon gang operate.

In the latest twist to the ongoing intimidation Stephen Collins and his son Steve, 26, were followed by a van and car along Childers Road last Tuesday afternoon.

Mr Collins said the gang pulled up alongside where they had parked..

“They said words to the effect that Stephen would be next,” he said. “They were very abusive and threatening, but they made sure they wore hoodies over their faces. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It wasn’t even two weeks since Roy was murdered and these animals were at it. I just lost the head and drove after them.”

Having alerted gardaí, he and Steve drove into Ballinacurra Weston only to be confronted by an angry mob. Mr Collins said they were lucky to get out alive as about 25 people jumped over a wall and came at him with sticks, chains and bottles, attacking his car.

Mr Collins said the McCarthy-Dundons had burned down his pub Brannigans in Mulgrave Street after his nephew Ryan Lee testified against Wayne Dundon at Limerick Circuit Court, resulting in him being jailed for 10 years.

Ryan Lee was shot and seriously wounded at Brannigans a short time after he refused entry to a young sister of Wayne Dundon as she was underage.

Mr Collins said yesterday: “You can’t win, whether you give evidence or don’t give evidence.They are still going to come after you. We are terrified, I really thought after killing my son [Roy] they might have got their pound of flesh and they would leave us alone.

“We are running a pub and every time the door opens, it could be a potential assassin. It is a terrifying possibility.

“They have taken our life away and they have ruined our business. They are slowly destroying us.”

He called for the people of Limerick to come out and march against the gangs.

“We need to show some sort of civil support, a march against crime to let these people know there is enough support out there to beat them.

“There is nothing being done. It is being brushed under the carpet. Everybody is talking about the McCarthy-Dundons and the terror they are bringing to the city.”

He described the gang members as wannabe Mafia.