Murder Of James Curran
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James Curran (c. 1962 – 3 April 2005) was the victim of a politically charged murder conspiracy in Ireland.


Background

James Curran was a native of
The Liberties The Liberties ( or occasionally ) is an area in central Dublin, Ireland, located in the southwest of the inner city. Formed from various areas of special manorial jurisdiction, initially separate from the main city government, it is one of Dub ...
,
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
, a neighborhood heavily beset since the 1980s by both drugs abuse and drug dealing. From a young age "Jimmy", as he was called by friends, was a fitness fanatic who regularly ran marathons and had a keen interest in
martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; ...
for which he won numerous awards and even a world title in
kickboxing Kickboxing ( ) is a full-contact hybrid Martial arts, martial art and Boxing (disambiguation), boxing type based on punch (combat), punching and kicking. Kickboxing originated in the 1950s to 1970s. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, norma ...
. Curran repeatedly denounced the involvement of former
Irish republican Irish republicanism () is the political movement for an Irish republic, void of any British rule. Throughout its centuries of existence, it has encompassed various tactics and identities, simultaneously elective and militant and has been both w ...
paramilitaries in extorting
protection money A protection racket is a type of racket and a scheme of organized crime perpetrated by a potentially hazardous organized crime group that generally guarantees protection outside the sanction of the law to another entity or individual from viol ...
from well-known drug dealers in the south inner city. In return for these payments, the IRA both allowed the dealers to continue with their business, but were also on call to help the drug dealers with any "difficulties".


Christmas incident

In a Dublin pub shortly after Christmas 2004, Curran witnessed Bernard Dempsey and "his associates taking an envelope of cash from members of a well-known heroin dealing gang". Dempsey was a former local
Provisional IRA The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Provisional IRA), officially known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA; ) and informally known as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary force that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland ...
commander turned "election activist" for
Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( ; ; ) is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The History of Sinn Féin, original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffit ...
's
Aengus Ó Snodaigh Aengus Ó Snodaigh (; born 31 July 1964) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician, author and historian who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-Central constituency since the 2002 general election. Early and personal life A Dubliner a ...
. In response to this, Curran, "who had personal experience of the damage heroin had done to his local community ... began shouting down the bar at Dempsey - 'Here, I'll buy you a pint. This is not drug money. This is clean money'". This infuriated Dempsey.


Green Lizard pub

On 3 April 2005, Mr Curran was enjoying himself at a karaoke while having a pint a stone's throw from his family home. That night Dempsey was also present and when his attempts to intimidate Mr Curran into leaving the pub failed he left himself only to return moments later with a handgun. Dempsey walked up meters behind Curran - who was sitting at a table with Dempsey's sister in Green Lizard pub - and leaning on an associate's shoulder to aim his weapon, he shot him three times through the back of the head in full view of customers. He then gestured to the crowd of shocked onlookers with his gun, and walked out of the pub as calmly as he had walked up to his victim moments before.


Aftermath

Bernard Dempsey was arrested soon after, but conviction seemed unlikely as several of the witnesses were told they would be murdered if they gave evidence. Two witnesses, including Dempsey's sister, still came forward and gave evidence at Dempsey's trial. A unanimous guilty verdict was given, which resulted in his conviction for life.
"In his victim impact statement, Bernard Curran, a brother of the victim, told the court his entire family had been 'traumatised by this act of wanton destruction on a young life'. Speaking directly to Dempsey he said: "You've put a hole in my mother's heart. You've put a hole in all our hearts. and they have been filled with grief which is everlasting. I hope you can live with that.' After the verdict he urran's brothersaid: 'I feel shocked. There are no words for it." He added: 'Justice is served.'"


Personal life

Curran was a champion kick-boxer and father of one. He was also the 4th brother of 6 that grew up in the Liberties area of Dublin and was the only member of his family who pursued martial arts from a very young age, going on to mentor and coach many kids from the area for years.


References


External links


''Sunday World''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curran, James Murder victims from Dublin (city) People murdered by Irish organized crime People murdered in the Republic of Ireland Deaths by firearm in the Republic of Ireland Deaths by person in the Republic of Ireland 2005 murders in the Republic of Ireland