Extra gardai move in to stop Limerick feud

Extra gardai have been moved into Limerick as part of new moves to halt an escalating family feud between rival criminal families.

The Government ordered an emergency response unit into the city following the execution-style murder of a man, who was gunned down hours before two kidnapped brothers belonging to an opposing faction were released.

The dead man, 36-year-old Kieran Keane, was shot in the head late last night. He was found dead on the roadside just outside Limerick city with his hands tied behind his back.

Another 30-year-old man with him was attacked with a knife and was today seriously ill in hospital.

Gardai said areas of Limerick may have to be cordoned off in a bid to contain tensions in the city, amid fears of retaliation.

Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne ordered in the emergency response unit, and gardai from surrounding counties were also expected to be brought in.

Last night’s murder came just hours before brothers kidnapped from Limerick turned up safely at Portlaoise garda station after almost a week missing.

At about 3am today gardai at Portlaoise received a call from the two men, and a short time later they walked into the station.

Eddie Ryan, 20, and his 19-year-old brother Kieran were reunited at the station with their mother Mary and the three returned home together.

The circumstances surrounding their abduction were not yet known, but gardai who have headed the major investigation were due to question them later.

The brothers – whose father was shot dead in a bar two years ago – were abducted last Thursday night by two armed and masked men. A shot was fired but their friend managed to escape and raise the alarm.

Army troops were brought in to help gardai in the search through local woodland for the brothers, who were feared dead by their family and police officers.