Father shot dead holding his baby son

A MAN was holding his infant son in his arms when he was gunned down in front of his partner in a brutal gangland-style execution.

Edward “Eric” Cummins, 31, who was originally from Ophelia Place, The Lough, in Cork city, was holding his 18-month-old son when he was blasted four times by a lone gunman armed with a high-powered handgun. The shooting took place in the driveway of his partner Michelle Cunningham’s rented house in Ballincollig, Co Cork, almost six years ago.

Cork City Coroner’s Court heard yesterday how the gunman had lain in wait for up to half an hour before the attack at 110 Old Court on Saturday, August 13, 2005.

Several children, ranging in age from 10 to 17, who were playing nearby, also witnessed the shooting.

Ms Cunningham, who was in the hallway of the house, screamed and grabbed her child from a pool of blood as the gunman fled the scene.

He escaped in a getaway car which was found burned out the next day. The badly-burned murder weapon was found on the back seat.

Despite a detailed murder investigation, the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that no prosecution is possible.

The jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing.

Ms Cunningham wept as the inquest heard dramatic evidence of her partner’s murder. She told how she, her partner, their child, and a friend, Linda Geasley, pulled into the drive of the house at around 10pm. The gloved gunman walked across a green area, retrieved a handgun from bushes, jogged towards his victim and struck as he was about to enter the house.

Ms Cunningham said she heard loud bangs and turned to see her partner collapse.

The gunman fired from a semi-automatic handgun, hitting Mr Cunningham four times.

“I don’t know why Eddie was shot,” said Ms Cunningham.

An off-duty garda and a nurse who were in the area at the time administered CPR. Paramedics were on the scene within minutes and Mr Cummins was rushed to Cork University Hospital (CUH), but he was pronounced dead at 10.45pm. He died from shock and haemorrhage as a result of one of the gunshot wounds to the chest, an autopsy found.

Mr Cummins had a conviction for a drugs offence in Portlaoise and was known to gardaí. He may have been shot following a dispute with a drug dealer.

His family was aware of the inquest, but did not attend.

Detective Sergeant Denis Cahill, who led the murder investigation, read a statement issued by Mr Cummins’s sister, Catherine, on her family’s behalf. She said they wanted to thank the gardaí who worked on the case and brought it so far, as well as the people who tried to help Mr Cummins as he lay dying in the driveway, the paramedics, and doctors and nurses at CUH.

“We would also like to thank the family members, friends and neighbours who have been with us through the worst time of our lives,” she said.

“Our family is still living with the nightmare. All we can do is hope and pray that in the future, our family will find some peace.”