Keane played a pivotal role at height of Limerick gangland feuding

Gangland criminal Christy Keane was shot on the grounds of the University of Limerick on Monday morning.

Gardaí are treating the shooting, which took place at 6.45am, as attempted murder.

The 54-year-old father of two remains in the intensive care unit of University Hospital Limerick.

Christy Keane has maintained a low profile since his release from prison in 2009, but he played a pivotal role at the height of gangland feuding in Limerick.

Originally from St Mary’s Park in Limerick city, he was the head of the notorious Keane gang until he was jailed for possession of drugs in 2002.

The Keane-Collopy gang has been embroiled in a long running feud with the McCarthy Dundon faction in the city.

Gardaí believe the feud, has claimed at least 18 lives since the murder of Eddie Ryan, a former associate of Christy Keane who was shot dead in November 2000.

Ryan had been an enforcer for Christy Keane but following a falling out – which originated in a school yard fight between two young girls – he unsuccessfully tried to murder his old boss, when Christy Keane was collecting a child from school. However Ryan’s gun jammed.

Two days later on November 12th, 2000, Christy Keane's younger brother Kieran Keane and an associate Philip Collopy walked into the Moose Bar on Cathedral Place and shot him dead.

On August 21st, 2001, Christy Keane was caught by two young detectives while attempting to move €250,000 worth of cannabis.

The drugs were hidden in a coal sack and had been buried in open ground near Keane’s St Mary’s Park stronghold.

On May 31st, 2002, at Limerick Circuit Court he was jailed for 10 years, the maximum sentence open to the courts.

During his time in jail, Christy’s younger brother Kieran Keane took over at the head of the Keane-Collopy criminal gang.

In January 2003 he became the latest victim of the gangland battle after he and his nephew Owen Treacy were abducted. Treacy was stabbed 17 times but survived. Kieran Keane was shot dead in what was a revenge killing for Eddie Ryan's murder three years previous.

Treacy became State witness and his evidence led to the successful conviction of five members of the McCarthy Dundon gang who were jailed for his attempted murder and the murder of his uncle.

In 2009, Christy's only son Liam Keane was jailed for 10 years after he was caught with a pistol and ammunition in suspicious circumstances at Athlunkard Road, Corbally, Limerick.

Liam Keane was previously charged with the murder of teenager Eric Leamy. Mr Leamy died on August 28th, 2001, after he suffered a fatal stab wound to his side.

The murder trial famously collapsed after a number of other witnesses denied making statements identifying Liam Keane as the killer.

Keane stuck his two fingers up at photographers as he walked free from the Central Criminal Court in Dublin after the DPP ordered that a ‘Nolle Prosequi’ should be entered with his presumption of innocence still in tact.

Since his release from prison in 2009, Christy Keane has maintained a low profile however it’s understood gardaí have foiled a number of attempts to target him.

He remains in a critical condition in hospital following today’s shooting, when he was targeted by two masked gunmen as he went to the gym in the University of Limerick Sports Arena.

At a recent bail hearing at Limerick District Court, a Garda Sergeant warned of an increase in hostilities between members of criminal organisations previously based in the Moyross and St Mary Park areas.

In his objection to a bail application by five people before the court in connection with an alleged violent disorder incident, Sergeant Paraic Byrnes said there have been "green shoots and a reemergence of the feud which dogged the city for years".

Judge Marian O’Leary was told at least 18 murders can be directly linked to the feud over the past 14 years and that gardaí fear there could be a further loss of life given the recent escalation incident involving the “new wave” of gang members.”