A FORMER convicted shebeen operator from Limerick, who enlisted one of Scotland Yard’s “most wanted” killers to appear as a witness for him in a court case objecting to his local publican renewing his pub licence, has appealed a court’s decision dismissing his objection.
At a hearing of Limerick District Court in February, Anthony Kelly (60s), of Southill, Limerick City, failed in his objection to publican Eamonn O’Rahilly applying to renew his licence to operate the Spotted Dog pub in Limerick City, after Mr O’Rahilly had allegedly barred both Mr Kelly and Kenneth Dundon from the pub.
The appeal by Mr Kelly is listed to be heard before Limerick Circuit Court on May 12.
At the original hearing last February, Kenneth Dundon, who previously appeared on a Scotland Yard most wanted list of criminals, appeared as a witness for Mr Kelly.
Dundon (60s), was previously jailed for six years after he was convicted of the manslaughter of a man who “drowned” in his own blood after Dundon stabbed him a number of times, the court heard. Dundon’s sons, Wayne, John, and Dessie, are all serving life sentences for three separate murders.
The court heard that on April 15, 2024, Mr Kelly was part of a group playing cards in the pub. Dundon, who was on his own, entered the pub, ordered a drink, and sat with Mr Kelly’s party, leaving the pub together without any problems arising.
Barman Shane O’Callaghan gave evidence that the atmosphere in the pub “changed” and knowing the “history” of the Dundon family, he telephoned Mr O’Rahilly to let him know he was “fearful” at Mr Dundon’s presence.
Mr O’Rahilly told the court: “I was aware of Mr Dundon and his reputation, and I wanted to let Shane know that assistance was on the way and that I would get there as soon as I could.”
By the time Mr O’Rahillly arrived at the pub, Kelly and Mr Dundon had left.
Mr O’Rahilly said that, on following day (April 16), when Kelly returned to the pub, he told him he “wasn’t happy with Dundon” being in his pub.
The publican said he also told Kelly that Dundon “was a member of a family that was troublesome, and that his presence at the bar had made customers and staff concerned and nervous”.
“I was not happy to run the pub under such conditions which would exist if Dundon kept coming in,” Mr O’Rahilly told the court.
The Limerick publican said he replied “yes” when Kelly asked him if he was also barred.
Mr O’Rahilly said that, on April 17, Kelly and Dundon returned to the pub “and I felt they were trying to compel me to serve them and their associates with a view to trying to run the pub from outside the counter”.
Mr O’Rahilly said he felt he “would lose control” of the pub if he lifted the barring orders on Dundon and Kelly.
Kelly and Dundon both told the court they were surprised when they found out they had been barred from the pub. They also both denied making any threats or intimidating Mr O’Rahilly.
Kelly told the court he had gone back to the pub with Dundon to try to “resolve” matters and described his ban from the pub as “unfair” and “prejudiced”.
Barrister Thomas Wallace-O’Donnell told the court that Kenneth Dundon was “a member of a profoundly infamous family … the father of the Dundon family, the Godfather, the paterfamilias of the family”.
Kenneth Dundon replied: “I’m a pensioner, I’m no Godfather of nothing”.
