Limerick biker shootings may be linked

By David Raleigh

Gardaí believe shots fired into a bikers apartment on the outskirts of Limerick City on Sunday night may be linked to the murder of another biker in Co Limerick the previous Saturday.

Two shots were fired into a block of apartments at Newcastle Court, Castletroy, at 6pm Sunday evening. The occupant of one of the apartments is a member of the motorcycle community.

No one was injured in the shooting, which took place less than 24 hours after Andrew O'Donoghue was shot in the face at close range outside the Road Tramps motorcycle club, Murroe, located 14 miles from Limerick City.

"Yes there were two shots fired at the building at around 6pm. Someone connected to the biker community lives there," a source confirmed.

"There have been a couple of issues that have happened there that are similar to what's going on in Murroe."

Gardaí recovered a sawn-off shotgun and a car in the Limerick area as part of their investigation into Mr O'Donoghue's killing.

"There seems to have been some incident between (the victim) and (the shooter) in recent weeks and there seems to be a situation involving two rival (biker) gangs," a senior source said.

The chief suspect for the murder is a biker who fell out with his "brothers" in the Road Tramps, sources close to the investigation said.

Tensions came to a head on Friday night when sanctions agreed by club members were brought against at least one biker, which may have led to the gun attack on Saturday.

Meanwhile, three men aged in their 40s and 20s, arrested on Saturday night as part of the murder probe, were brought before a special sitting of Kilmallock District Court today, and had their periods of detention extended by a judge.

After hearing the alleged evidence of senior Gardaí, the court agreed to allow the men's period of detention to be extended a further three days before they are released or charged.

A fourth suspect aged in his 40s who was arrested on Sunday, will have to be released or charged by 9pm Tuesday night, unless his period of detention is also extended.

Like armies, motorcycle clubs are made up of different ranks and sanctions are imposed on members who don't abide by agreed rules and regulations.

"Tensions were growing among members anyway over the past few weeks and different things were happening in the weeks leading up to this," sources said.

The chief suspect had not been seen at the Road Tramp clubhouse for a number of years but, "still regarded himself as an active member". He may have aligned himself to an outside motorcycle club and sought retribution after he was sidelined by the Road Tramps.

Mr O'Donoghue was originally from Lynwood Park, Limerick City, but had been living in Murroe with his partner Catherine Danaher.

The loving couple had lived in New York for a period, before they returned home a number of years ago following the birth of their only daughter, Ava, in the States.

"The fallout will be interesting because this is one of the first incidents of its kind here involving bikers. If one biker shoots another biker, it's like shooting a brother," said a sensor source.

"Mr O'Donoghue was not known to Gardaí and his motorcycle cub has been operating for a good few years in Murroe and had never previously come to any adverse publicity."

Paddy Farrelly, a friend of the victim, described the gun attack as "a senseless killing carried out by a coward".

Mr O'Donoghue is survived by his wife, daughter, mother Kathleen and brothers Peter and David.

On Tuesday night his body will be waked at the clubhouse where he was murdered following his reposition at Cross's Funeral Home, Ballyneety.

His remains will be removed to Murroe Church on Wednesday morning for 11.30am requiem mass followed by burial in Abington Cemetery, Murroe.