A KNOWN drug dealer was found in possession of cocaine and cash when armed gardai forcefully breached a heavily fortified house at St Mary’s Park, Limerick City, a court heard today. (Thursday)
Barry Sheehy, (45), St Munchin’s Street, St Mary’s Park, was jailed by Judge Colin Daly for a year and half for possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.
Sheehy was given a concurrent 12-month sentence for money laundering in relation to €495 cash that was found in his possession when gardai raided the known drug den at St Mary’s Park, on September 18, 2023.
Windows and doors at the house, which was not Sheehy’s family home, were fortified with iron bars, and a number of drug addicts were sitting in the front garden of the barricaded property, the court heard.
Judge Daly said that following the break-up of Sheehy’s marriage he went back to live at his parents house in the Limerick estate and got involved in drug dealing in his local neighbourhood.
Judge Daly offered that drug dealing is “not a victimless crime” and the “harm done” is felt across society.
“The scourge of drugs to users and their families is well-known and Mr Sheehy returned to his community to carry out his business, the sale and supply of drugs, which supports organised crime and all criminality that goes with it,” the judge said.
“He (Sheehy) was actively and voluntarily involved, so his culpability is high. Cocaine is a highly addictive serious drug, and he was using a known facility to conduct his business.”
Prosecuting barrister, John O’Sullivan, told Sheehy’s sentencing hearing, that the property where Sheehy was arrested “was well known to gardai as a location for where drugs were sold”.
“It had heavily fortified windows and doors, the house was frequented by drug addicts, and addicts were seated in the front garden when gardai arrived,” said Mr O’Sullivan.
Earlier on the morning, Gardai attached to the Limerick Garda Divisional Drugs Unit, had obtained a search warrant at Limerick District Court to raid the house.
The drugs squad officers, who were supported members of the Garda Armed Support Unit (ASU), conducted a “forced entry” at the property, which it was heard, was “fortified by iron bars”.
“It took a number of minutes” for gardai to breach the fortified structures, said Mr O’Sullivan, and gardai eventually got inside the house they found Sheehy sitting on a sofa beside an open lit fire.
A box containing €495 in cash, including €325 in notes and the remaining amount in coins, and which was deemed to be the proceeds of drug dealing, was also found next to Sheehy.
“Many drug addicts are engaged in tapping and begging and hence they can accumulate a significant amount of coins and those monies can then be used in the purchase of drugs,” said Mr O’Sullivan.
Gardai seized 51.31g of cocaine with an estimated street value of €3,591.56, as well as other drug dealing paraphernalia, including weighing scales and plastic “deal bags”.
Mr O’Sullivan said, that in interviews with gardai, following his arrest, Sheehy made “no comment” and only spoke to confirm his name and date of birth.
Sheehy pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply; simple possession of cocaine; and money laundering in respect of the seized cash.
Sheehy, who has three children, had a number of prior convictions, including for obstructing gardai, possessing stolen property, and burglary.
He had previously served a four-year jail sentence, imposed on February 2, 2003, for possessing drugs for sale or supply on October 18, 2001.
Sheehy’s barrister, Amy Nix BL, said he comes from a “decent” family and he was “embarrassed” by getting involved in selling drugs following the break-up of his marriage.
“He is a proud man and he welcomed getting caught by gardai, as it broke a cycle of offending,” said Ms Nix.
Ms Nix said Sheehy had “no trappings of wealth” and he was “serving others who are at the top of the drug industry in Limerick”.
She said Sheehy had come from a “disadvantaged area”, that he previously worked as a “welder” but that he fell away from employment by making “terrible decisions that led him where he is today”.
The court took into consideration the charge of simple possession of cocaine.
The court also heard that Sheehy has good family support and has been on an enhanced prisoner status on a drug free wing of Limerick Prison on remand.
Sheehy’s sentence was backdated to November 5, 2025 when he first went into custody.