The cold-blooded killer who has ordered 11 hits

Irish Herald

By Cormac Murphy

Monday January 11 2010

THIS is the cold-blooded, calculating killer who has ordered the deaths of 11 people -- three in the past week alone.

The suspect, from Finglas in North Dublin, is considered by detectives to be one of the country's most dangerous criminals.

The man, who has been nicknamed The Don, is a major drug dealer. He does not give a second thought to killing rivals and associates alike.

Drug dealer Michael Roly Cronin and his pal James Moloney were shot dead as they sat in a car in Dublin city centre last January.

Then, just a fortnight later, The Don turned on his own associate Graham Nally, who was shot dead.

heroin

Gardai investigating The Don's activities previously uncovered his extensive links with other drug gangs in Sligo and Limerick.

The criminal tried to establish a market for heroin in the north-west through his involvement with a crime gang there.

Detectives have established that The Don and Cronin had conspired to have their old boss Martin Marlo Hyland murdered in December 2006.

Innocent apprentice plumber Anthony Campbell was killed in the same attack.

But The Don and Cronin subsequently fell out, leading to the double murder of Cronin and Maloney.

The Don even told a newspaper he was not responsible for McNally's execution. "I feel that I am now a target over all this," he was quoted as saying. "I feel unsafe. I don't know anything about anyone getting clipped."

The Don has extensive links with the notorious McCarthy/Dundons in Limerick. He began his criminal career as a member of Marlo Hyland's gang in Finglas and Cabra, but is now a criminal godfather.

In June, the body of Paul Smyth (34) was found near Balbriggan. He was also killed by The Don's gang.

He also ordered the murder of Liveline caller John Daly in 2007 and heroin dealer Paul Farmer Martin in August 2008.

The Don and the Sligo gang became major partners in crime.

Detectives attached to Sligo Garda Station have intercepted a number of drug shipments, which were being transported between Sligo and Dublin.

A major victory against the crime syndicate was scored when Sligo officers seized heroin worth more than €1.5m near Carrick-on-Shannon. The shipment was being transported to Dublin for The Don.

- Cormac Murphy