Hot Press Cover "Star" John Gilligan Shot in Dublin

John Gilligan, the well known Irish criminal, has been shot in Dublin. The incident took place in Greenfort Crescent, in the west Dublin suburb of Clondalkin. The gardai have preserved the scene of the crime. Immediate reports suggest that it was an attempted murder. He has been described as ‘seriously injured’, but further updates from the hospital are expected soon.

Gilligan was recently released from prison, having served a long sentence. He had been sentenced to 28 years for possession of 20,000 kgs of cannabis resin. He was widely regarded as one of the major criminal figures operating in Dublin, and became Public Enemy No.1, when he was accused of an involvement in the murder of the Sunday Independent journalist, Veronica Guerin. However, he has always strenuously denied the charge.

While he was in prison in Portlaoise, Hot Press secured an interview with John Gilligan, which caused huge controversy. It ran over two issues, with Gilligan appearing on the front cover on the first of them. At the time it led to the then Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, of Fianna Fáil demanding that Hot Press should be banned from the prison.

Part 1: The True Story of the John Gilligan Gang
Part 2: Gilligan My Side of The Story