Caravan park shooting linked to gangland feud

Detectives believe a man gunned down at a busy holiday caravan park was targeted as part of a long-running gangland feud.

Michael Taylor, 53, from Summerhill, in Dublin’s northside, was shot several times in the head and body shortly after arriving at his recently-purchased mobile home in Donabate yesterday.

Two masked gunmen are believed to have either followed him or were waiting for him at the Vivian Hand caravan park, off Corballis Road, near Donabate Golf Club, on the north Dublin coast.

Mr Taylor, a father-of-four who was well-known to gardaí, was taken to Beaumont Hospital where he died this morning from his injuries. Investigators have launched a murder probe.

One line of inquiry is that “a hit” was ordered on him as part of a row between rival criminal factions operating around Sheriff Street in the capital’s north inner city. The murderous fall-out has claimed at least five lives since 2006.

The gunmen pounced on their victim at around 4.30pm during Monday’s public holiday when the privately-owned caravan park was busy with families on an extended summer weekend break. A number of witnesses have been questioned.

Mr Taylor had just arrived at the park with his partner who was inside the caravan at the time.

Superintendent Mark Curran, leading the investigation, said a nearby car and another caravan window were damaged in the hail of bullets but nobody else was injured.

“I think the fact that there were a lot of people around and the fact that a number of rounds were discharged there was a reckless nature to the attack and lives were possibly put at risk,” he said.

There are around 60 mobile homes on the seaside caravan park.

The killers made their escape in a metallic blue 09 D registration Opel Insignia, believed to have been stolen, which was later found burnt out at nearby Turvey Woods.

They were wearing balaclavas and hooded tops, one black and one grey.

The men took off from Turvey Woods in a black Honda Civic car, with an 07 D registration, which detectives have yet to locate.

Garda technical experts have carried out forensic examinations at the scene while inquiries are ongoing.