Gardaí anticipate several more prosecutions over gangland murder in Dublin eight years ago

Seán McCárthaigh

Gardaí expect several more prosecutions will follow “in the foreseeable future” in relation to a gangland murder in Dublin eight years ago, an inquest has heard.

Jamie Tighe-Ennis (24) of Timberhill Apartments, Artane, suffered fatal gunshot wounds to the head when he was attacked on Moateview Avenue, Priorswood, Dublin 17 on October 28th 2017.

The prospect of several individuals facing criminal charges in relation to Mr Tighe-Ennis’ death emerged at a brief sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Wednesday.

Detective Inspector Donncha Maguire told the coroner, Clare Keane, that he anticipated there would be other prosecutions in the case “in the foreseeable future.”

However, Det Insp Maguire said he believed the Garda investigation was “going to take a substantial period of time.”

He applied for an adjournment of the inquest under Section 25 (2) of the Coroners Act on the basis that criminal proceedings had been commenced in relation to the murder, with one individual already having appeared before the courts.

Det Ins Maguire requested a six-month adjournment of the inquest in order to provide greater clarity about the progress of the investigation at that time.

Dr Keane granted the application and adjourned the case for November 12th.

Mr Tighe-Ennis was walking home from a nearby pub with a group of friends when he was shot twice in the head by a gunman at around 2.20am in a suspected gang-related attack.

The father of one, who came originally from Darndale, was later pronounced dead at the scene.

A stolen Audi A3 which was believed to have been used as a getaway vehicle was later found partially burnt out on a green between The Griffith apartments and Prospect Hill in Finglas about 10 kilometres away.

Last November, Det Insp Maguire revealed that a new file was being forwarded to the DPP to the murder of Mr Tighe-Ennis as a result of a development in the Garda investigation.

In February this year, John Farrell (59) of Rialto Cottages, Dublin, appeared before a sitting of Dublin District Court accused of helping a criminal gang by buying a car used in the murder.

Mr Farrell was charged under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 with enhancing the ability of a criminal organisation by buying and keeping a 2000-reg vehicle between 13th and 18th October, 2017.

The court heard the accused made no reply when charged with the offence.

At the time of his death, it was reported that Mr Tighe-Ennis had a history of involvement in robberies and drugs and had several criminal convictions including firearms offences.

He was also suspected of having been involved in several murders in Coolock and Ballymun.

Although he had connections with both the Kinahan and Hutch criminal gangs, it remains unclear if he was a victim of the deadly feud which emerged between the rival criminal organisations, which has claimed the lives of 18 people to date.

A relation of Mr Tighe Ennis, Jordan Davis (23), was also killed in a gangland-style murder around 18 months later when he was shot while wheeling his newborn baby in a buggy outside a school in Darndale.

At the opening of the inquest into Mr Tighe-Ennis’ death in January 2018, evidence was heard that the deceased had to be formally identified from his fingerprints because of the extensive nature of his head injuries.

Separately, the coroner’s court heard that an elderly finance academic was fatally stabbed at his home in north Dublin last December.

Scott George (76) a married father of two from Tobersool Lane, Balbriggan, Co Dublin was found dead in the detached house on the night of December 12, 2024.

The deceased’s wife, Goretti McCormack-George gave evidence of formally identifying her husband’s body to gardaí at the Dublin City Mortuary in Whitehall.

The coroner said a postmortem on Mr George’s body showed he died as a result of “multiple stab wounds and an incised wound to the neck.”

Detective Inspector Brian Downey applied for an adjournment of the inquest under Section 25 (2) of the Coroners Act on the basis that criminal proceedings have already been commenced in relation to the death.

Dr Keane granted the application and adjourned the hearing for a date to be fixed following the conclusion of any related criminal prosecution.

The deceased’s son, Dáire McCormack-George, an apprentice solicitor and Oxford law graduate of Cabra Road, Phibsborough, appeared before a sitting of Dublin District Court on December 14 last charged with the murder of his father.

The accused’s solicitor, Danny Nolan, told the court that his client had been diagnosed with mental health issues.

Judge William Aylmer remanded Dr McCormack-George in custody and directed that he receive immediate psychiatric assessment and any treatment required while in prison.