James Whelan Instagram Instagram

GARDAÍ BASED IN north Dublin fear a “perfect storm” of violence following the first gang-related murder in over a year. 

James Whelan (29) was shot dead in the Deanstown Avenue area of Finglas in the early hours of Sunday morning. 

Whelan, who had previously been named in court as a member of an organised crime gang, had over 50 convictions, many of them for drug and gangland-related offences. 

Whelan had fallen out with the leader of an organised crime gang nicknamed Mr Flashy, a 26-year-old who was given the nickname due to his penchant for designer clothes and jewellery.

The feud between Mr Flashy’s gang and people associated with Whelan has been ongoing for months, and violence in the area had been ramping up in recent weeks. Gardaí have been investigating a number of serious incidents connected with the feud, including: 

• The abduction and assault of a man belonging to one criminal gang 
• A grenade attack on a house in the Finglas area
• The family homes of several innocent people linked to gangland figures being shot at
• Suspected intimidation attacks in the Finglas area
• Death threats made on social media
• The theft of family pets belonging to gang members or their families

Multiple sources told The Journal that the two groups fell out following the seizure by gardaí of a significant quantity of cocaine. 

Those same sources have said that a “perfect storm” of violence could be on the way due to both sides having weapons, willing participants, and now a personal element to the row following the murder.

Whelan’s murder marks a new departure for this feud, which had been limited to violent assaults until Sunday morning’s murder. 

Gardaí are now ramping up resourcing in the area as retaliatory attacks are expected in the coming days. 

High visibility policing operations are planned for the area including additional garda patrols as well as checkpoints.

Intelligence from detective and drug units in neighbouring stations and districts will also be shared, as is standard procedure. 

Gardaí hope to keep a lid on the violence. However, sources have told this publication that it is impossible to “be everywhere at one point in time”. 

Gardaí at the scene on Sunday. Sasko Lazarov Sasko Lazarov

Independent councillor Noeleen Reilly said she was “shocked but also not shocked” by news of the death of James Whelan “given the increase in violence in the Finglas area”. 

Speaking to The Journal, Reilly explained how it is “very easy” to get guns in the area and that the resulting violence is no surprise. 

She explained: “Guns seem to be readily available and it is no coincidence that there has been an increase in crime [at the same time as] a reduction in garda resources.

“There is a lack of community policing in the area and a lack of gardaí at senior management level in both Finglas and Ballymun and you’re seeing the results of that.”

Reilly said that there are areas of Finglas and Ballymun where the drug gangs have more control than the gardaí. 

“There needs to be a concerted area in the parts of Finglas where these drug gangs are terrorising and controlling communities. They have more control in certain areas than the authorities do.”

“I have people coming to me saying ‘I don’t feel safe living here anymore’ and that’s just not acceptable. People should not feel threatened in their own homes. Crime is just taking over Dublin and it has not been addressed. It doesn’t matter what part of Dublin you’re in, it’s just getting worse.”

Officers said they want anyone who was in the Deanstown Avenue, Deanstown Green, Deanstown Road, Cardiffsbridge Road areas between 9pm Saturday and 4.30am on Sunday to contact investigating gardaí.

The investigating officers can be contacted at Finglas Garda Station 01 666 7500, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.