Murder of Shane Geoghegan

Shane Geoghegan (7 March 1980 – 9 November 2008) was a rugby player for Garryowen who was shot and killed in a case of mistaken identity as part of a gang feud in Dooradoyle, a suburb in the city of Limerick, Ireland. The murder took place in the early hours of Sunday morning, 9 November 2008. He had no links with organised crime gangs.

Shane Geoghegan was a 28-year-old native of Limerick City. He worked for Air Atlanta as an aircraft fitter and was a keen rugby fan, playing as prop with Garryowen and was captain of their third team and lived with his girlfriend Jenna Barry. He was described as "A nice, decent guy who was well respected by young and old alike" by the secretary of his rugby club. It is believed that he bore a resemblance to a drug dealer called John McNamara, who was the target of a contract killing and lived nearby.

The murder was linked to the ongoing Limerick feud between rival criminal gangs and their battle to control drug supplies in Limerick. At least 13 people had been murdered in a turf war between the McCarthy-Dundon and Keane-Collopy gangs. There have also been cases of abductions and torture.

Shane watched the Ireland v Canada rugby international with friends on Saturday night. He then walked home through the Kilteragh housing estate in Dooradoyle at 1.30am. He was gunned down when up to 15 shots were fired at him. Shane managed to run to the rear of a house in Clonmore, where he was shot three times in the upper body and once in the head. Members of the recently established Garda Regional Support Unit were the first at the scene after a 999 call was made from concerned residents who heard the sound of gunshots. A burnt-out getaway vehicle was found nearby.

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