Gun attack triggers city feud concerns

Teenagers with family links to Limerick’s feuding McCarthy-Dundon and Keane-Collopy gangs were involved in a gun attack during a late-night confrontation on Thomond Bridge in the city centre.

A senior garda said they were concerned that a new younger generation were now taking up “the mantle” of the feud. It is the first feud-related shooting incident in the city in more than two years.

The latest incident occurred at around 10.30pm on Tuesday when shots were fired by youths from Moyross with links to the McCarthy-Dundons. It is understood their intended victims were a group related to the Keane-Collopys.

Gardaí confirmed there was an earlier shooting involving feuding youths on January 2, near Thomond Bridge, and extra garda patrols have been placed in St Mary’s Park and Thomondgate.

In Tuesday’s incident, two youths from Moyross were travelling towards the Keane-Collopy stronghold of St Mary’s Park when they came upon relatives of murdered crime boss Kieran Keane, who were travelling out in two cars.

According to garda sources, one of the Moyross youths jumped from their car and opened fire on the other two cars.

Nobody was hurt. However, a motorist who had driven onto the bridge at the time had his car rammed as the McCarthy- Dundon gang members sped from the scene.