Courts / Limerick / Report

Dundon-McCarthy gunman gets 15 years for fatal shooting of Noel Campion

Date
2026-02-09

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Limerick

Summary

A man has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court following his guilty plea to offences arising from the fatal shooting of Noel Campion in Limerick city in April 2007. Darragh Quinlivan, aged 42 and originally from Limerick but with an address in Bolton, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and to participating in the activity of the Dundon-McCarthy criminal organisation. The court heard that Mr Campion, then 35, was shot multiple times whilst travelling as a passenger on a motorcycle at Thomondgate. Justice Paul McDermott described the shooting as callous and brutal, conducted in cold blood from close range during mid-morning on a public street. The judge noted victim impact statements detailing the lasting devastation caused to Mr Campion's family. In mitigation, the court considered Quinlivan's guilty plea and evidence of rehabilitation since 2012. The final sentence comprised 16 years with the last 12 months suspended, running concurrently with a four-year term on the organisational charge.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Dundon-McCarthy gunman gets 15 years for fatal shooting of Noel Campion. Charges or matters: possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life at or about the junction of High Road and Thomondgate in Limerick. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

April 26, 2007 Incident
May 2 2007 Hearing Or Sentence
June 6, 2007 Hearing Or Sentence
January 13, 2008 Incident
March 2008 Other
May 1 2007 Hearing Or Sentence
May 10 2007 Other
April 26 Incident
April 25 Other
May 25 2007 Incident
January 2008 Incident
August 2007 Other
2026-02-09 Publication

Why: The defendant had also appeared at Nenagh District Court on May 2 2007 for taking a car and gave evidence that he hoped to leave Ireland within two weeks because of his involvement in the feud between the Keane-Collopy and the McCarthy-Dundon gangs. CNI source report

Case subjects

Darragh Quinlivan

Defendant

Charges: possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life at or about the junction of High Road and Thomondgate in Limerick (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: He further suspended the last 12 months of that sentence for a period of two years on various conditions. Quinlivan was also sentenced to four years imprisonment on the count of participating in the activity of a criminal organisation.