Gardaí investigating murder of dissident leader mount dawn raids in Cork city
Gardaí investigating the murder of former dissident Republican leader Aidan O’Driscoll in Cork over four months ago have mounted a series of dawn raids in the city today, .
Gardaí and detectives backed by armed garda units began the coordinated search operation at several addresses on both the northside and southside of the city shortly before 7am.
A range of material has been seized. There were no arrests.
The search operation is the latest stage of what is a massive garda investigation into the shooting dead of O'Driscoll in Blackpool on December 7.
Gardaí are preparing files for the DPP following the arrest and release without charge of six people earlier this month - the first arrests by the garda team investigating the murder of the former chief of staff of the Real IRA.
Mr O’Driscoll, a father-of-two from Glen Heights, Ballyvolane, on the northside of Cork city, was gunned down on Commons Road, Blackpool around 4.45pm on December 7.
Nicknamed the ‘Beast’ for his prowess on the GAA pitch, he had been dropped off just minutes earlier and was walking about 300-yards from Blackpool’s Church of the Annunciation when he was ambushed by two masked men who opened fire at close range with a handgun.
He was struck at least once in the pelvis, he turned to run back towards Blackpool village and was pursued.
He collapsed on the footpath where the gunmen walked calmly up to him and shot him another three times in the chest as he lay on the ground.
He was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery, but was pronounced dead around 7pm.
Gardaí believe his murder was ordered by former associates of his in the Real IRA arising out of bitter tensions caused by a power-struggle between members of the Real IRA and New IRA in Cork. It is believed O’Driscoll had just weeks before his death aligned himself with a unit of the New IRA.
