Read Online Gangster by John Mooney - Free Book Online
Authors: John Mooney
Tags: Prison, Murder, Ireland, Dublin, best seller, drugs, Assassination, IRA, organised crime, gang crime, court, john gilligan, Gilligan, John Traynor, drug smuggling, Guerin, UDA, veronica guerin, UVF, Charlie Bowden
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prison and is partly reserved for those the system deems a serious threat to the security of the State.
The ground floor of E Block is called E1 and is home to a select group of criminals, some of whom the Department of Justice regards as being involved in organised crime. The second floor is called E2. The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) used to share this floor with the Provisional IRA volunteers whose ranks also accounted for the cells on E3 and E4. Gilligan lived on E1, and it was here that he evolved in criminal terms.
It is said that Gilligan could always make people feel comfortable. He might smile at them, give them space when required, talk to them as if they were his best friend but, most important of all, listen without interrupting. He possessed an ability to pay attention; he had a knack of listening to monotonous conversations without appearing bored. It was this talent he used to full effect in the prison, making friends with criminals that would be of use to him on his release. His secret was giving off the impression that he was just another criminal. No one who encountered him during this period considered him anything but a thief. He was a small man who smiled continuously, knew a few tricky businessmen and looked forward to his wife’s visits. Gambling was his only character flaw.
In prison, he gambled on everything. Whether he was on the prison landings or in the exercise yard, he would produce a deck of cards to passers-by. He would bet on two flies crawling up a wall. ‘Pick a card, buy a Crunchie,’ he would say, holding out a shuffled deck. Two cards would be drawn. Whoever chose the lowest would be obliged to buy a Crunchie in the prison tuck shop. But this was a front, a persona he created for life behind bars.
With perfect cunning, Gilligan managed to become a central figure on E1, effectively representing the prisoners to the authorities but at all times staying in the background. He nominated others to approach the Governor on issues relating to their living conditions.
Brian Kenna was the then Officer Commanding of the Provisional IRA volunteers gaoled in Portlaoise at the time. ‘Gilligan became like a spokesman for the prisoners down in E1. In a lot of cases others would go and argue with the Governor, but it was under the direction of John Gilligan. The others didn’t seem to be bothered one way or the other. They didn’t seem to care who represented them or whether they were represented at all. If they had a problem, they would go see the Governor themselves. Gilligan seemed to be the main mover,’ he said.
In other words, Gilligan directed manoeuvres from a discreet distance. This was an indication of Gilligan’s organisational skills. ‘You could see him getting organised; he was also clever enough to keep a distance between himself and the Governor so that he wasn’t seen to be rocking the boat,’ said Kenna.
By fighting for better conditions in the prison, Gilligan ingratiated himself with his fellow inmates. Because he was a natural-born networker, he devoted his energies to getting to know everyone inside. If this was part of some grand plan to build a coterie of accomplices around him, it is known only to him. But this is exactly what happened.
Prison prepared him for a life of organised crime and drug trafficking. Housing violent criminals in Portlaoise Prison alongside the likes of Gilligan was, Kenna says, a recipe for disaster.
‘Men like Gilligan were the nearest thing Ireland had seen to organised crime—they had the gangs, contacts in the gardaí, prison system, social welfare, the courts, basically extensive networks on the outside. Or, in some cases, they had the ability to develop networks. They were career criminals.
‘Gilligan was introduced to strong or hard men in Portlaoise, men he was able to manipulate. A lot of these were in awe of Gilligan. It was easy for him to manipulate these people, who frankly mightn’t have had an awful lot
The ground floor of E Block is called E1 and is home to a select group of criminals, some of whom the Department of Justice regards as being involved in organised crime. The second floor is called E2. The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) used to share this floor with the Provisional IRA volunteers whose ranks also accounted for the cells on E3 and E4. Gilligan lived on E1, and it was here that he evolved in criminal terms.
It is said that Gilligan could always make people feel comfortable. He might smile at them, give them space when required, talk to them as if they were his best friend but, most important of all, listen without interrupting. He possessed an ability to pay attention; he had a knack of listening to monotonous conversations without appearing bored. It was this talent he used to full effect in the prison, making friends with criminals that would be of use to him on his release. His secret was giving off the impression that he was just another criminal. No one who encountered him during this period considered him anything but a thief. He was a small man who smiled continuously, knew a few tricky businessmen and looked forward to his wife’s visits. Gambling was his only character flaw.
In prison, he gambled on everything. Whether he was on the prison landings or in the exercise yard, he would produce a deck of cards to passers-by. He would bet on two flies crawling up a wall. ‘Pick a card, buy a Crunchie,’ he would say, holding out a shuffled deck. Two cards would be drawn. Whoever chose the lowest would be obliged to buy a Crunchie in the prison tuck shop. But this was a front, a persona he created for life behind bars.
With perfect cunning, Gilligan managed to become a central figure on E1, effectively representing the prisoners to the authorities but at all times staying in the background. He nominated others to approach the Governor on issues relating to their living conditions.
Brian Kenna was the then Officer Commanding of the Provisional IRA volunteers gaoled in Portlaoise at the time. ‘Gilligan became like a spokesman for the prisoners down in E1. In a lot of cases others would go and argue with the Governor, but it was under the direction of John Gilligan. The others didn’t seem to be bothered one way or the other. They didn’t seem to care who represented them or whether they were represented at all. If they had a problem, they would go see the Governor themselves. Gilligan seemed to be the main mover,’ he said.
In other words, Gilligan directed manoeuvres from a discreet distance. This was an indication of Gilligan’s organisational skills. ‘You could see him getting organised; he was also clever enough to keep a distance between himself and the Governor so that he wasn’t seen to be rocking the boat,’ said Kenna.
By fighting for better conditions in the prison, Gilligan ingratiated himself with his fellow inmates. Because he was a natural-born networker, he devoted his energies to getting to know everyone inside. If this was part of some grand plan to build a coterie of accomplices around him, it is known only to him. But this is exactly what happened.
Prison prepared him for a life of organised crime and drug trafficking. Housing violent criminals in Portlaoise Prison alongside the likes of Gilligan was, Kenna says, a recipe for disaster.
‘Men like Gilligan were the nearest thing Ireland had seen to organised crime—they had the gangs, contacts in the gardaí, prison system, social welfare, the courts, basically extensive networks on the outside. Or, in some cases, they had the ability to develop networks. They were career criminals.
‘Gilligan was introduced to strong or hard men in Portlaoise, men he was able to manipulate. A lot of these were in awe of Gilligan. It was easy for him to manipulate these people, who frankly mightn’t have had an awful lot
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