‘Well-known criminal’ shot dead in Lucan

A man in his 30s was shot dead in the Lucan area of west Dublin on Friday night. The shooting took place after 8pm at Griffeen Valley Park.

The dead man was named locally as Mark Desmond, who was originally from the Ballyfermot area. His body was discovered in open parkland – a large green area surrounded by housing estates.

“It was just like three bangs – pop, pop, pop,” said one woman who lives nearby, who had gathered with other neighbours – all of whom were confident of the identity of the victim.

“I didn’t really pay attention to it [the noise] because there is a skateboard park just there [beside the crime scene].”

Gardaí were seen placing a blue tent around the body. They sealed off a number of entrances around the park.

Another man at the scene described how a youth was seen “looking traumatised” and being helped into a Garda car.

“There was about 50 cops in here within minutes, they were looking everywhere,” the onlooker said.

“It just doesn’t happen around here,” said another neighbour.

Burnt-out car

Locals also said there was a burnt-out car discovered in nearby Hayden’s Lane.

A Nissan Micra with two men was reported speeding in the area around the time of the shooting, although there was no confirmation this was connected to the shooting.

The scene was preserved for a technical examination.

Desmond was well known to Gardaí and had been linked to the double murder of two young men Darren Carey (20) and Patrick Murray (19) whose bodies were found in the Grand Canal in Co Kildare between December 19th, 1999, and January 10th, 2000. He was charged with the double murder but the charged were later dropped by the DPP.

Gardaí have appealed for anyone with information or who was in the park area between 7pm and 9pm to contact Lucan Garda station at (01) 666 7300.

Minister for Justice and local TD Frances Fitzgerald condemned what she described as the brutal attack, “which is another reminder of the callous disregard for human life displayed by people intent on murder and mayhem”.

She said An Garda Síochána would continue to take every measure to counteract activity of this kind and would have the continued support of the Government in doing so.