It was 50-50 if Gilligan would live or die

A chaplain who administered Last Rites to former crime boss John Gilligan said it was “50-50” for a period if he would live or die.

Fr Dan Joe O’Mahony said that, from listening and talking to the medical staff, it could have “gone either way” for Gilligan.

The 61-year-old was shot four times when armed gunmen burst into his brother’s house in Clondalkin, west Dublin, at 7pm on Saturday.

“He had wounds in his chest and wounds in his leg and I think a bullet grazed his head,” said Fr O’Mahony.

The Capuchin priest was on duty at James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown when he was alerted to an incoming emergency.

“We didn’t have a clue who it was coming in, we were given no name,” he told RTE Radio. “We copped on from the personnel [the ambulance people bring forms with them] so then we realised who it was and we were saying ‘is that for real?’”

He said two ambulances arrived, also carrying gardaí from Ronanstown Garda Station.

Fr O’Mahony said there were ten medical personnel, including nurses, doctors and consultants, tending to Gilligan’s care.

Fr O’Mahony said he administered Last Rites, but didn’t know if Gilligan was aware what he was doing.

He said Gilligan was recovering in a public ward with five other patients. He said it was normal for armed detectives to be stationed outside wards in such situations.

Meanwhile, Garda sources said there was a “long list” of possible suspects behind the attempted murder. There have been reports that the head of a major Irish criminal syndicate based in Spain is among them.

But some sources pointed to the “amateurish” nature of the gun attack, suggesting it could be the result of a local feud of some type.

Gardaí said Gilligan had been trying to “shake down” local criminals in a bid to raise some cash. One Garda source said he had “no money” and thought his past reputation would be enough to extract money from dealers and criminals.