Shots fired at home of dead councillor's brother

Gardaí in Limerick are investigating an incident in which several shots were fired at the home of Anthony Kelly, a brother of the late city councillor, Michael Kelly.

At least four shots were fired at the house in O'Malley Park, Southill, late last night as Mr Kelly and several members of his family, including a seven-year-old child were inside.

Nobody was injured but gardaí said it was fortuntate that no one was killed.

Considerable damage was caused to windows at the front of the house and it is believed that a pump-action shotgun may have been used in the gun attack.

Gardaí at Roxboro Road garda station confirmed today that a number of spent cartridges had been recovered from the scene and that the house had been technically examined.

A garda spokesman said that they were keeping an "open mind" in their investigation and that house-to-house enquiries were underway today in the O'Malley Park area.

It is understood that the incident may be connected to a feud between two families on the southside of the city which has escalated in recent months. However, it is not linked to the violent feud on the northside of the city which has claimed four lives in recent years.

Mr Kelly is a younger brother of the late controversial councillor, Michael Kelly, who died earlier this year after he suffered a mystery gunshot wound to the head. Anthony Kelly has always denied that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted and claimed that his brother was shot by an unknown gunman who entered his mother's home in Lilac Court, Southill.

Anthony Kelly also orchestrated the exhumation of his brother's body, shortly after he was buried, to dispel certain media reports which suggested that a gun had been buried in his brother's coffin.