Staunton becomes fifth gangland killing

THE murder of Gerard “Topper” Staunton is only the fifth gangland killing to occur in Cork, but the fifth nationally this month.

It is widely acknowledged that the killing of Michael Crinnion in Cork on April 8, 1995, was the first gangland killing in this country. Crinnion, an enforcer for the O’Flynn crime family, was gunned down outside the Clannad bar in Barrack Street. The 35-year-old was involved in a number of punishment beatings of members of opposing gangs, and even errant members of his own gang.

At the time, the O’Flynn gang controlled most of Cork’s drugs trade.

Crinnion, who had gone outside the bar to answer a phone call, died in a hail of bullets fired by a lone gunman. Gardaí acknowledged the killing bore all the hallmarks of a professional hit.

Despite an extensive investigation, nobody was ever convicted.

At Crinnion’s funeral, an RTÉ television crew was attacked by some of the criminal’s relatives. The TV crew’s sound man sustained serious injuries.

Crinnion’s brother-in-law, Kieran O’Flynn, became the second victim of a gangland hit when he was gunned down at his home on the northside of Cork city in June 2001. A balaclava-clad gunman knocked at O’Flynn’s Thorndale home off Dublin Hill late at night. The convicted drug dealer, aged 38, was shot twice as he attempted to open his front door, with the killer stepping into the hallway to fire a third shot through the dying man’s throat.

O’Flynn’s partner, Alison Murray, and three young children were all in the house at the time.

Gardaí arrested and questioned more than 80 people. No one has ever been formally charged.

Gardaí feared the killing could spark an all-out drugs war in the city, but it never materialised.

On August 13, 2005, 29-year-old Eric Cummins was shot dead in a gangland-style execution in Ballincollig. Cummins, a plasterer, was well known to gardaí. He was shot a number of times in the upper body when he returned to his home at Oldcourt in Greenfields at 10pm. He had just arrived home from an outing with his partner and 18-month-old son when confronted by a lone gunman. The gunman escaped in a dark-coloured Honda car. It was later found burnt out.

Nobody has been convicted.

Prior to the murder of Gerard Staunton, the last gangland killing in Cork took place nearly three years ago.

Drug dealer David “Boogie” Brett was shot dead in a secluded spot 7km from the village of Ballydesmond in May 2007. Gardaí believe that Brett, who was originally from Greenmount in Cork city, had been lured to the area. At the time, he was living in Liscarroll near Charleville with his partner, and had two sons and a daughter all under 10 years.

In February 2001, Brett was given a suspended sentence for driving another man to pick up €50,000 worth of ecstasy which was stashed at Ballymartle, Kinsale.

Brett’s older brother, John was one of the region’s biggest ecstasy dealers. In November 1999, he was caught by gardaí in Glanmire with €500,000 worth of the tablets. He received an 11-year sentence.