Read Online Gangster by John Mooney - Free Book Online Page B
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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perturbed him greatly: he lamented that he was not with his wife and at home to see his two children through the turbulent teenage years. He felt ill at ease about his marriage, often convincing himself that she would leave him for another man or simply seek a separation or marriage annulment, although this seemed only a potential reality to him. It fuelled an intense hatred of prison, and this festered in his psyche. It played on his mind, annoyed him and thwarted whatever sense of logic he possessed. A desire for release absorbed his energies and consumed his mind.
By the summer of 1992 this craving for freedom began to eat away at him. He missed his wife and the home they shared. He would write long letters to her, exposing his innermost secrets in the full knowledge that the prison authorities would see his softer side. One of the letters showed the tender side of their relationship.
Portlaoise Prison,
Dublin Road,
Portlaoise,
Co. Laois
10 August ´92
Dear Geraldine,
Just a line or two to say I love you so very, very much and that you looked so beautiful today, your [sic] lovely. I’m so proud to be your husband and best friend so I am. Ger I really had a nice day. I hope it was half as good for you. I will find out tomorrow when I am going up to Dublin and then let you know on the phone this week or the weekend ok. Geraldine tell Darren I said thanks for been [sic] so good, so good for you, he is a good son thank God.
Well honey I can’t wait to get Christmas over with its less than 20 weeks away and as soon as its [sic] over with we will be only counting the months that I have left (agree) ok but for now lets take it at a week at a time agree.
Geraldine I know I ask you to do a lot for me but as you know I would do the same for you. Geraldine I think this letter is after going from a love one to a do this or do that (agree). I’m sorry love its [sic] just I want things to go right for you as you could do with the money They all owe me ok love.
Geraldine do you still love me I know I know its hard. I’m just lovesick. Sure head I would die for you, I love you that much. Geraldine I will say good night and god bless you, you’re my dream come true so you my love are.
From your loving tea maker HA. HA.
All my love your
Husband and best Friend, I love You Billions
Love John
XXXXX
Inside the prison environs, when not absorbed in dreams and private thoughts, Gilligan was an al-together different man. He made unreasonable demands on the prison service. He turned into a difficult person; in essence a problematic prisoner. This irrational behaviour continued unabated and culminated in his attacking Tom Dormer, the Chief Prison Officer in charge of E1, on 22 October 1992. Gilligan had requested that the prison authorities supply him with copies of confidential records he wanted to give to his wife. He knew he was not entitled to prison files but had made the request anyway. At 4 p.m. Dormer approached him on the prison landing to tell him his request had been denied. When he turned his back on Gilligan, the prisoner lashed out, punching him from behind. The blow loosened Dormer’s teeth and left his jaw bruised. The prison authorities transferred Gilligan to Cork Prison immediately. He was held there in solitary confinement for the next two months without privileges.
The gardaí were called in to investigate and took a statement from Dormer and another warden who witnessed the attack. Gilligan declined to make any comment to the police.
Solitary confinement affected him deeply. Solitude broke him and he became dispirited, unhygienic, dirty and lacking in any self-respect. Realising that he was slipping into a depression, Geraldine travelled to him. She urged him to do something about his situation, to take redress through the courts.
Her endeavours prompted him to take an appeal to the High Court seeking his return to Portlaoise. It was here that Gilligan first met Donal Ó Siodhacháin and Pat Herron
By the summer of 1992 this craving for freedom began to eat away at him. He missed his wife and the home they shared. He would write long letters to her, exposing his innermost secrets in the full knowledge that the prison authorities would see his softer side. One of the letters showed the tender side of their relationship.
Portlaoise Prison,
Dublin Road,
Portlaoise,
Co. Laois
10 August ´92
Dear Geraldine,
Just a line or two to say I love you so very, very much and that you looked so beautiful today, your [sic] lovely. I’m so proud to be your husband and best friend so I am. Ger I really had a nice day. I hope it was half as good for you. I will find out tomorrow when I am going up to Dublin and then let you know on the phone this week or the weekend ok. Geraldine tell Darren I said thanks for been [sic] so good, so good for you, he is a good son thank God.
Well honey I can’t wait to get Christmas over with its less than 20 weeks away and as soon as its [sic] over with we will be only counting the months that I have left (agree) ok but for now lets take it at a week at a time agree.
Geraldine I know I ask you to do a lot for me but as you know I would do the same for you. Geraldine I think this letter is after going from a love one to a do this or do that (agree). I’m sorry love its [sic] just I want things to go right for you as you could do with the money They all owe me ok love.
Geraldine do you still love me I know I know its hard. I’m just lovesick. Sure head I would die for you, I love you that much. Geraldine I will say good night and god bless you, you’re my dream come true so you my love are.
From your loving tea maker HA. HA.
All my love your
Husband and best Friend, I love You Billions
Love John
XXXXX
Inside the prison environs, when not absorbed in dreams and private thoughts, Gilligan was an al-together different man. He made unreasonable demands on the prison service. He turned into a difficult person; in essence a problematic prisoner. This irrational behaviour continued unabated and culminated in his attacking Tom Dormer, the Chief Prison Officer in charge of E1, on 22 October 1992. Gilligan had requested that the prison authorities supply him with copies of confidential records he wanted to give to his wife. He knew he was not entitled to prison files but had made the request anyway. At 4 p.m. Dormer approached him on the prison landing to tell him his request had been denied. When he turned his back on Gilligan, the prisoner lashed out, punching him from behind. The blow loosened Dormer’s teeth and left his jaw bruised. The prison authorities transferred Gilligan to Cork Prison immediately. He was held there in solitary confinement for the next two months without privileges.
The gardaí were called in to investigate and took a statement from Dormer and another warden who witnessed the attack. Gilligan declined to make any comment to the police.
Solitary confinement affected him deeply. Solitude broke him and he became dispirited, unhygienic, dirty and lacking in any self-respect. Realising that he was slipping into a depression, Geraldine travelled to him. She urged him to do something about his situation, to take redress through the courts.
Her endeavours prompted him to take an appeal to the High Court seeking his return to Portlaoise. It was here that Gilligan first met Donal Ó Siodhacháin and Pat Herron
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