Man shot dead after row with gang associates

Saturday March 11 2006
Tom Brady and Eugene Moloney
A ROW with criminal associates led to the savage murder of a young gunman whose body was found in a Dublin lane-way yesterday.

The latest victim of gangland murder was named last night as 28-year-old Shay Bradley, who lived in North King Street in the north inner city.

He was originally from the Waterside in Derry but had moved to Dublin more than seven years ago.

Bradley was well known to gardai and had appeared in court in connection with two separate crimes in recent months.

He was closely involved with a number of crime gangs operating out of the inner city and also in the western and southern suburbs.

Bradley was particularly involved with a gang based in the Clondalkin area and last September was arrested after a shooting in the Polly Hops pub in Newcastle, Co Dublin.

The intended target of the shooting was small-time criminal Owen McCarthy, in the pub when the gang leader ordered two men to shoot him in the legs.

A third man, who knew McCarthy, walked into the pub and noted where the intended victim was sitting. But by the time the gunmen ran in, McCarthy had changed seats and another innocent customer was shot instead.

Bradley was believed to have been the driver of the getaway car which crashed as they made their escape. Gardai later recovered the weapon used, a .357 Magnum, which was still loaded.

Bradley was later charged with illegal possession of a firearm and was remanded on bail.

He had also pleaded guilty at another court to taking part in the theft of a container of chocolates from Dublin Port.

The Polly Hops intended target, Owen McCarthy, was subsequently shot dead near the Wicklow Gap in November but Bradley was not suspected of being involved.

McCarthy was thought to have been killed by former west Dublin gang associates because he owed them money over a series of cocaine deals.

Bradley's body was found in a lane-way off Blackhorse Avenue at noon yesterday but gardai believe he was murdered between 8pm and 9pm on Thursday.

He was shot three times in the chest and lower body with a handgun.