Eamon Dunne – known as “The Don” – was a notorious criminal in north Dublin who led a gang which dealt in drug dealing, armed robbery, extortion and murder
A ruthless mob boss, now “drinking with the devil”, was implicated in at least a dozen murders during his reign of terror – including those of his own mates.
Eamon Dunne – dubbed “The Don” – was a notorious criminal in north Dublin who led a gang involved in drug trafficking, armed robbery, extortion and murder. Dunne’s murderous spree included some of the most shocking and high-profile assassinations in the capital.
In December 2006, he helped orchestrate the killing of his former mentor and crime boss, Martin “Marlo” Hyland, right in the heart of his Finglas stronghold.
Two gunmen invaded the house – one ascended to where Hyland was sleeping, while the other restrained Anthony Campbell, a 20-year-old apprentice plumber who had come to the house for work. Hyland was shot six times – twice in the head, four times in the back – whilst he slept.
Campbell, completely unconnected with crime, was shot in the head downstairs. The double murder sparked public outrage, particularly as Campbell had no ties to organised crime, reports the Mirror.
One of Dunne’s most notorious alleged hits occurred in October 2007, when infamous criminal John Daly – who once audaciously phoned into RTE’s Liveline from prison – was executed shortly after his release. On air, Daly confronted journalist Paul Williams, criticising stories that suggested he was embroiled in a feud with another gangster.
This bold move – using national radio to publicly distance himself from criminal kingpins and portray himself as independent – was seen by some as a betrayal or challenge.
Sources suggest that resentment towards Daly quickly built up among Dunne and others. Less than a week after his release from prison later that year, Daly was shot dead in Finglas in what was widely believed to be a revenge killing.
He was also suspected of masterminding the hit on John Paul Joyce, a drug dealer whose frozen body was discovered in a waterlogged ditch at the back of Dublin Airport in January 2010.
Shocked passersby noticed blood stains in the snow after his body was callously dumped in a chilling act of terror. In the run-up to Dunne’s own murder in 2010, a police source told the Irish Independent that his bloodthirsty streak was more pronounced than ever.
They said: “This man is a psychopath and has grown out of control.
“He is ruling gangland by fear and the murders in the past week are further evidence that he and his associates should not be crossed. Not content with making profits from his own activities, he has now branched out by capitalising on the name he has built up with in the criminal underworld, and collecting the debts owed to others also allows him a closer look at the vulnerability of his would-be rivals.”
In April 2010, Dunne was at a mate’s birthday celebration at the Faussagh House pub in the Irish capital.
Two gunmen stormed in and yelled “down, down, everybody down”, before unleashing a hail of bullets at the 34-year-old – who was seated beside his 17-year-old daughter Amy.
A third gunman positioned himself outside to block Dunne’s exit route, whilst the getaway driver remained in the vehicle.
The crime boss was struck twice in the back of his skull and six rounds were retrieved from his body.
His bloodied remains were abandoned on the ground as his own gang members bolted from the scene.
His daughter Amy was left standing over Dunne screaming “me da, me da”.
Two men were detained in May 2010 in connection with helping orchestrate the assault, and another individual was questioned under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act.
Nevertheless, no convictions were secured and the slaying remains unsolved.
Anthony Campbell’s mum said he is now “drinking with the devil”, whilst Irish reporters described him as a “vicious and nasty paranoid coke-fuelled mess” during his final days.
