Gang paid IRA thug €20,000 to gun down Michael Devoy

A former IRA hitman was contracted by gangland chiefs to murder Michael Devoy, gardai believe.

The thug, who is living in Co Louth, was paid up to €20,000 by associates of crimelord Christy Kinahan to “investigate” the pub shooting of Greg Lynch.

Drug dealer Lynch, 28, and three innocent women were injured when a gunman opened fire outside Hanlon’s Bar on Dublin’s North Circular Road last October.

The Irish Mirror has learned the hitman “interviewed” Dubliner Devoy and a close associate more than a week ago about the attack.

Both men were “cleared” by the sinister operator but further enquiries led the enforcer to contact Devoy again and demand a further meeting on Saturday evening.

A senior source said: “This man was a former enforcer for the Provisional IRA but more recently he has been offering his services to criminal gangs.

“He was called on by Kinahan’s associates to investigate the Lynch shooting. Devoy and an associate’s name were given to him and he interviewed the pair of them.

“This guy is quite polite and mannerly and gave the lads the all-clear.

“However, he went back and carried out further enquiries and came to the conclusion Devoy had indeed tried to kill Lynch.

So he contacted the drug addict again and politely asked for another meeting.” Dad-of-two Devoy was wearing a bulletproof vest but was shot in the neck and head
and dumped at Foxhill Lane, Bohernabreena, Tallaght, Dublin, shortly before 11pm on Saturday.

He had been released from Portlaoise prison 24 hours earlier after challenging his detention for an outstanding warrant.

The 42-year-old’s killers were almost caught when two detectives on routine patrol spotted them trying to dump the body in South Dublin.

But the ruthless thugs fled in a silver Renault Megane.

Gardai hope the fact his killers were disturbed may mean crucial DNA could be recovered from Devoy’s body.

A postmortem yesterday found Devoy was blasted up to three times in the head with a handgun.

Gardai are now satisfied he was shot close to where his body was dumped and the thugs had not moved him to the scene.

Meanwhile, Devoy’s grieving mum Nancy, sister Antoinette and brother Derek “Bottler” continued to grieve as pals posted tributes to the notorious criminal on the Irish Mirror Facebook page.

SOURCE-IRISH MORROR