Murder prompts warning on vigilantism

Vigilante-style attacks will not be tolerated in the wake of the murder of a young man in Dublin, Justice Minister McDowell warned today.

John Cunningham Jnr, 26, from Killtilawn Way, in Tallaght, was beaten and stabbed by a group of men in Clondalkin on Friday night, after they apparently believed he had been involved in a burglary.

Mr McDowell said he hoped it had not been a vigilante attack but added that he was very concerned at "any violence being offered".

“There is only one system of the rule of law and that’s An Garda Siochana. When I say that on a political level to the Provisional movement, I say it to everyone in Irish society – there is only one system of law in this country and it’s the one that’s established in our constitution.”

Mr Cunningham was beaten with a snooker cue and stabbed a number of times with a long bladed knife at the junction of the Fonthill Road and the New Nangor road on Friday at around 8.15pm.

He suffered severe injuries to his back and lungs and was taken to Tallaght hospital in a critical condition. He died in hospital last night.

He was part of a large Traveller family and had seven sisters and three brothers.

He was married for five years, with two sons aged two and four, while his 25-year-old wife is pregnant with a third child.

His mother Bridget Cunningham said he was a very loving son.

“He never said one wrong word to me in his life. How can people go out there and do a thing like that, kill him and leave me here with a broken heart?

“All I’ve got left is a photograph to look at and my two grandchildren and my daughter-in-law, I have nothing else.”

She said her son had been her whole life and all she ever dreamed of.

““He’d never do you wrong if he couldn’t do you right, he’d never do you wrong, never.”

Gardai arrested a 19-year-old and a 22-year-old in the wake of the attack. Both have since been released and a file is to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The snooker cue and long bladed weapon used in the attack have both been recovered by gardai.

John Cunningham Jnr’s mother-in-law, Helen Donoghue, told RTE radio she wanted to see his killers suffer.

“To me, John was a son and a son-in-law, I loved him so much. I definitely want the killer got to make him suffer.”

She added: “They’re after a young widow at 25-years-old with two little boys and no father. She’s expecting a third baby.”

Gardai have appealed to anyone who witnessed the attack, or may have information, to contact them in Clondalkin Garda Station at 01-6667600.