Teenage boy dies following incident at lake in Co Kerry
The boy, who is believed to have been 16 years of age, was visiting the area with his parents at An Chonair, a mountain pass which goes from Daingean Uí Chúis to the village of An Clochán on the northern side of the peninsula.
It is understood they had stopped at a waterfall close to the top of the pass, and that the boy climbed a short distance to a lake above the waterfall, Loch an Pheidléara.
He is understood to have suffered fatal injuries when he fell from a height, close to the lake.
Members of the Coast Guard Unit based in Daingean Uí Chúis, members of Kerry Mountain Rescue Team, gardaí and National Ambulance Service crews responded when the alarm was raised at around 3.30pm.
The operation was coordinated by the Coast Guard's Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Valentia, Co Kerry.
Marine Rescue tasked the Shannon-based Rescue 115 helicopter to the scene.
The boy is believed to have died from his injuries. His body was removed to University Hospital Kerry, where a post-mortem examination will be conducted in the coming days.
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Sunday World
4 hours ago
- Sunday World
Lavish ‘Scarface' grave of notorious gangster with Wayne Dundon links unveiled
Stephen 'Pablo' (Reilly) O'Reilly died following a crash in Offaly on May 20 last year and was regarded as being one of the midlands' most violent and dangerous criminals One of the tributes which took centre stage at the funeral of Stephen O'Reilly. This is the elaborate final resting ground of the once feared and volatile career criminal Stephen 'Pablo' (Reilly) O'Reilly. The solid marble memorial extends to several feet in length and towers above scores of other headstones inside the grounds of Coosan Cemetery in Athlone. The father-of-one, who died following a single vehicle road crash in Offaly on May 20 last year, was regarded as being one of the midlands' most violent and dangerous criminals with a string of convictions to his name. He had also been closely aligned to a feared Longford-based crime gang and was due before a number of courts across the midlands for serious alleged offences. Reilly's burial plot consists of a solid marble headsone finish with a series of ornate features including a high-end watch and images of the career criminal's muscle bound physique. A video of the extravagant grave was posted on social media showing the lavish and intricate carvings that make up the deceased gangster's resting place. Two lion's heads sit at the end of a solid marble headstone dividing a high end watch that lies in front of a head shot of the late mobster. A pair of carefully sculpted columns complete the opulently finished headstone, which is supported by a solid marble carving while emblazoned with the epitaph: 'The world is ours'. The video, which has attracted almost 90,000 views on social media platform TikTok, features an excerpt of gangster-esque rap music in a modern day remake of the 1983 Hollywood crime blockbuster Scarface. Those words feature the voice of Al Pacino as Cuban drug lord Tony Montana saying: 'What do you think I am? A f****** worm like you? I told you, don't f*** with me,' amid the sound of a gun being loaded in the background. Stephen O'Reilly Details surrounding the unveiling of Reilly's elaborate final resting place comes just a matter of days after the Athlone burial grounds hosted its annual Cemetery Sunday service less than 48 hours after gardaí uncovered a stockpile of machetes and other weapons inside the graveyard. Despite no concrete link to any specific gang or faction in particular, gardaí are hoping to make progress over the coming days in tracing the identities of a number of suspects they believe were behind the discovery. Reilly's sudden death just over a year ago brought with it one of the most extravagant funerals and displays of wealth the midlands town of Athlone has seen in recent memory. Reilly, who was in his early 30s and also known as O'Reilly, was buried in a large gold-coloured coffin which was lifted into his home in Beechpark West through a front window for his wake. A sea of ornate floral tributes were likewise laid out in honour of the feared gangster outside Coosan's Our Lady Queen of Peace Church. One of the tributes which took centre stage at the funeral of Stephen O'Reilly. One of those displayed a portrait of Reilly showing off his ripped physique with the brazen epitaph: 'The real Pablo….The one and only gangster Reilly'. Another equally elaborate and brash tribute carried an illustration of a container full of white powder accompanied underneath by the words: 'No comment'. Another reference to Reilly's criminal past was an equally crass image, this time directed at a named garda. In the decorative and bordered display, the crude tribute read: 'Detective….0 Reilly 1' below a bottle of black pepper. Another showed a portrait of Reilly showing off his ripped physique with the words 'The real Pablo, the one & only Gangster Reilly.' The latter moniker was one the midlands criminal more than lived up to in clocking up 51 convictions at the age of just 21. 'He was an extremely violent individual,' a source told the Irish Independent. The extravagant headstone of Stephen 'Pablo' Reilly. Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 5th 'From an early age, he got involved in burglaries in and around Athlone and was suspected of hiding firearms and drugs for a notorious midlands based crime gang.' In one infamous case he was jailed for two years over a threat to a sister of Roy Collins, an innocent businessman killed by the Dundon gang in Limerick in 2009. He pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening to kill or seriously harm Leanne Collins at a court hearing in 2011. It emerged during the case that he knew a man who was friendly with Wayne Dundon, but the trial judge said he did not believe Reilly intended to carry out threats. Dundon, and Nathan Killeen of Hyde Road, Prospect, in Limerick, are currently serving life sentences for the murder of Mr Collins at the Coin Castle Amusements Arcade on 9 April, 2009. Although Reilly pleaded guilty he denied he threatened to rape and slit the throat of the woman who was a hairdressing student in Athlone at the time. Reilly admitted telling Ms Collins that Limerick's gangland figure Wayne Dundon would give him 'good money' for killing her, but said he didn't know Dundon. He had phoned her and she later told gardaí he threatened to rape her, slit her throat and shoot her during that call. While he was on High Court bail for that offence, he made a second threat to kill her, this time within earshot of a garda. It was heard in court how Ms Collins said she had left Athlone because of intimidation and she believed the threats were real and that Reilly is friends with a man from Limerick who is friendly with the Dundons. Floral tributes left to Stephen Reilly (inset) Reilly apologised for the threats and said he wished he could change what he had said. The trial judge said he believed Reilly was sincere in his apology and remorse and said the full facts of the case were less sinister than they appeared. He referred to reports which described O'Reilly's 'harrowing' life of neglect, abandonment, violence, and brutalisation. He said Reilly is a man as much sinned against as sinning and is now 'doing his best beyond his years to maintain family unity'. Viewed in isolation the threats to shoot and rape Leanne Collins, and slit her throat, sounded dreadful 'particularly coupled with connotations of a notorious Limerick figure in the mix,' he said. But he was satisfied they were impulsive rather than sustained threats and that there was no intention to follow through on them. 'In one sense they were no more than vulgar abuse,' he said. He imposed two consecutive one-year sentences and suspended the final six months.
Irish Examiner
14 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
MV Matthew crew were no mere cogs — they played a vital role in cocaine trafficking venture
Sailors sentenced to prison for their involvement in major international drug trafficking through Ireland were not mere cogs in the wheel but vital parts of the engine that drives international drug trafficking, a court has heard. Eight men have been sentenced to a combined 129 years in prison for their role in a drug trafficking operation that was intercepted and resulted in the largest cocaine seizure in the history of the State. Guilty pleas among mitigating factors Justice Melanie Greally initially set combined headline sentences for the men at 203 years at the Special Criminal Court on Friday. But she reduced each man's sentence due to multiple mitigating factors, including their guilty pleas. The MV Matthew, owned by a Dubai-based company, was raided at gunpoint by Ireland's elite Army Ranger Wing in rough seas off the Cork coast in September 2023. Eight men from the crew of 21 were ultimately charged with drug trafficking offences. Justice Greally sentenced the men according to their hierarchy and culpability in the operation. However, she accepted that none of the accused were operating in the higher echelons of the organised crime group which was directing the operation remotely. And the crew would not stand to profit from sales of the drugs. 'Committed to the success of the venture' However, all convicted men, apart from Jamie Harbron and Cumali Ozgen had high levels of seafaring expertise. And maritime drug trafficking cannot take place without that, Justice Greally said. They are not cogs in the wheel but vital parts of the engine that drives international drug trafficking, she said. They had proven competence and had a high level of trust within the operation, Justice Greally said. She added: We consider each man committed to the success of the venture. Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk, and Vitaliy Vlasoi, both 32; Iranians Soheil Jelveh, 51, and Saeid Hassani, 39; Filipino Harold Estoesta, 31, and Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, 49, all pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply on board the MV Mathew between 24 and 26 September 2023. Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa, aged 62, with an address at Rudenka, Repina Str in Berdyansk, and Jamie Harbron, aged 31, of South Avenue, Billingham in the UK, pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply between 21 and 25 September 2023. MV Honmon renamed to MV Matthew The 190m bulk cargo ship was initially called the MV Honmon but had its name changed to the MV Matthew before the drug trafficking operation, directed by a powerful cartel with unlimited resources and international reach. Its registered owner was a company based in the Marshall Islands but the company that ultimately owned it was a company called Symphony Marine based in Dubai, Justice Greally noted. It was designed to carry bulk cargo like grain, with five cargo holds. But it left the coast of Venezuela empty. Crew distracted with barbecue and alcohol Armed men loaded the ship with cocaine at night off the coast of Venezuela when most of the crew had been distracted with a barbecue on board and plied with alcohol. A small number of the MV Matthew crew were used to load the cocaine while at sea in September 2023. Despite the 2.2 tonne load, worth some €157m, only one of the five cargo holds was used to store it initially. The containers it was stored in looked like 'matchboxes in a car boot,' the court heard. The ship was moored in Venezuela in August, undergoing preparations for the voyage. It set sail in September 2023, with its stated destination as Gdansk in Poland. But it travelled around the northwest African coast, past the Canaries, the Bay of Biscay, and on to the Irish sea. Ship's true location was 'spoofed' Mr Jelveh was the captain, Vlasoi was second in command, Estoesta and Gavryk were second officers, and Hassani was the third officer. Ozgen, previously described in court as the eyes and ears of the cartel, was the lowest-ranking and not an officer but occupied the most important cabin by the bridge. This was due to his 'supervisory function' for the cartel, the court heard. For 15 days, the MV Matthew misrepresented its place at sea in an operation known as 'spoofing,' where a vessel's stated course differs from their real course. Drug traffickers often use this technique, Justice Greally noted. Crew members aware of the deception Crew involved in a number of WhatsApp and Signal groups used to communicate with those directing the operation from Dubai, were aware of this spoofing, referencing aborting the necessary navigation software, Justice Greally noted. When the ship claimed it was steaming past Trinidad and Tobago, it was actually still off Venezuela, she said. Gardaí monitored 'persons of interest' Meanwhile, retired fisherman Ukrainian Vitaliy Lapa had been monitored with two persons of interest to gardaí in Ireland. One of these persons of interest bought the fishing vessel the Castelmore from Castletownbere in West Cork, with more than €300,000 transferred from a company based in Dubai for the purchase. Mr Lapa and Jamie Harbron set sail on September 22, 2023. In communications about the operation, the MV Matthew was referred to as 'big bus'. A 'jumbo load' would be collected from the 'big bus' which may take some balancing. Its weight of 2.2T was specified. Encrypted messaging A Starlink satellite system installed on the fishing boat was to allow communications through encrypted messaging apps about the drug transfer from mother ship to daughter ship. But the Castlemore hit rough weather, suffered wifi failure and its engine failed. Lapa, an experienced fisherman from Ukraine, spoke little English and he and Harbron communicated with the help of online translation tools. Meanwhile, Captain Jelveh was complaining of unfavourable sea conditions to someone directing the operation from Dubai via WhatsApp and Signal communications. Unhappy about the choice of volatile Irish waters to transfer the cargo, he complained to his paymasters in Dubai. He was also concerned about the Matthew's straying from its stated course. In one message, he wrote: I'd rather go to prison but I won't stay in a storm. Meanwhile, with no wifi and a failing engine, the Castlemore was directed to hug the Irish coast and use its VHF radio for communications and turn on its vessel identification system (VIS) so it could meet the 'big bus'. A voice directing the operation from off the boat through encrypted messaging apps announced that he would take over as the captain remotely from Jelveh on September 24, 2023. Castlemore's distress call A distress call was made from the Castelmore to the coastguard after 11pm after it ran aground on a sandbank off Wexford in stormy seas. Lapa and Harbron were rescued by helicopter and were later arrested. A phone seized from Lapa when analysed showed the Castlemore intended meeting with MV Matthew. 'For some hours, the fate of the Castelmore was unknown to the crew on the MV Matthew,' Justice Greally said. But the level of emergency was clear from its communication with the coastguard, picked up by the MV Matthew via radio. Directing the operation from off the ship, a person, often referred to as 'captain Noah', announced that the plan was changing. The drugs were to be sent ashore in a lifeboat with Ozgen on September 25, 2023. "Cumali Ozgen will be the commander of the boat, teach him disengaging,' a message said. Ozgen was the only MV Matthew crew member with no real seafaring experience. Crew commented in messaging apps that he would never be able to manage the lifeboat, loaded with drugs on his own. 'Better for us, worse thing to have him on board,' one person commented. Another person said: 'He will go all bad demons will go.' Ozgen was feared on the boat as the direct operative for the cartel, crew said. The former captain, Jelveh, said he was put on the ship to murder him. The Dutchman of Turkish origin was never lowered onto rough seas at night in the life raft heavy with more than 2.2 tonnes of cocaine. But he did receive the heaviest sentence of all the crew. Headline sentence reduced to 20 years His headline sentence of 30 years was reduced to 20 years partially because he pleaded guilty, saving the State time and resources, Justice Greally said. Former captain Jelveh called for a medical evacuation from the MV Matthew after the Castlemore ran aground, taking suitcases, three mobile phones, a satellite phone and more than $53,000 with him. But he was arrested and analysis of his phone proved useful for the investigation. MV Matthew monitored in Irish waters Meanwhile, the MV Matthew was being monitored by Irish authorities as it moved within Irish territorial waters and the contiguous zone, an area further from shore where Irish authorities still have some legal rights to board a vessel. The ship had dropped anchor, claiming it needed to carry out repairs as it stalled while trying to concoct a new plan to transfer the drugs. But the LÉ William Butler Yeats naval ship was monitoring the MV Matthew. It became apparent that the MV Matthew was not conducting engine repairs. The MV Matthew was trying to increase its distance from land, wrongly believing that Irish authorities then could not board the vessel. LÉ William Butler Yeats in 'hot pursuit' When the MV Matthew repeatedly failed to comply with Irish customs orders, the LÉ William Butler Yeats announced it was in 'hot pursuit' of the vessel. It announced it was a warship and fired shots when the Matthew continued to evade its orders. Estoesta radioed the ship, claiming they were just a commercial vessel, the crew was crying in fear, he said, they had families and they did not want trouble. But at the same time, he was taking direction from Dubai, being told to head with speed south out of Irish waters and to travel "with full speed" towards Sierra Leone. Incorrect information from Dubai "They have talked too much, show them some real action," the voice from Dubai said, encouraging the crew to ignore the Irish authorities. "Be confident, there is a law preventing them from boarding," the Dubai voice wrongly advised. He then wished them 'bon voyage'. Crew tried to burn the drugs as the Army Ranger Wing approached in a helicopter, using accelerants like paint thinner to intensify the flames. Army Rangers boarded the MV Matthew As the army rangers tried to board the vessel, abseiling from a helicopter on a rope, the MV Matthew swerved and manoeuvred at speed to try to evade them, further endangering the rangers' lives. But they boarded the vessel and extinguished the flames on the drugs, preserving the evidence, and took control of the ship. Phones seized from the men on board proved crucial to the investigation, giving second-by-second accounts of the drug trafficking plan, and its sudden unravelling at sea in high swells. The men denied knowing the ship was carrying drugs initially. But they admitted growing suspicious when armed men unloaded the cargo off the coast of Venezuela at night, and when they saw the cargo, which was clearly not 'spare parts' as they said they were told. All men said they flew to Dubai for interviews and later to Venezuela to board the MV Matthew on lucrative contracts. When they raised concerns about the cargo, they said they were told they'd be paid bonuses to stay quiet. 'Terrified and alone' Hassani said he was 'just following orders and was scared for his life." Financial necessity, caring for his daughter and sick and injured sisters in Iran had driven him to take the job, he said. Estoesta said he was 'terrified and alone at sea' and felt he had to do what was asked of him by the shadowy voices in Dubai once he was aboard. He said he was responsible for communications on board only because of his strong command of English. Letters were sent from loved ones about the accused's kindness, loyalty and academic achievements were sent to the court. Ozgen grew up in a socially deprived community in Holland where survival was the law of the street, one letter said. He was caring for his son who had multiple operations for brain tumours and made 'risky choices to provide a better future to his family." Gavryk was described by his former schools as a serious and motivated student, a detail-orientated specialist who was also an attentive friend. Vlasoi was a devoted father whose wife was now trying to care for their child alone. Estoesta had excelled academically and was from an educated, respected family, many of whom successfully served their country in the air force, law and medicine. Hassani was trying to provide for his family which had led to indebtedness. Harbron was the only crew with previous convictions, two of which were for drugs. But he came from a disadvantaged background, suffered violence in his family as a child and had drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues, the court heard. However, he was a caring father and partner, the court heard. Lapa's hometown in Ukraine was under occupation and he was forced out of retirement as a mariner in the fishing industry to work out of financial necessity. His family is at risk of losing their home, the court heard. Mitigating and aggravating factors Justice Greally took these accounts into consideration. But she said that in addition to mitigation, there were serious aggravating factors in their cases. One aggravating factor was the scale of criminal organisation they were working for. Another was the "vast quantity of drugs" involved and their considerable value. Another aggravating factor was the type of drug itself and the "widespread social harm" cocaine does. Ozgen was given the heaviest sentence as he was most deeply involved with the organised crime group, she said. He provided the crime organisation with progress reports every two to three days and was a "malign and intimidatory presence" on the ship. But Estoesta had the second heaviest sentence because he "persistently defied orders" from Irish Customs and naval officers. He was no longer 'alone at sea' but when faced with a binary choice of cooperating with authorities or taking orders from an organised crime group, he sided with the OCG and tried to escape with the drugs to Sierra Leone before a "last gasp effort" to destroy the evidence, Justice Greally said. Vlasoi had the third heaviest sentence as the de facto captain aboard at the time of the ship's interception, he was responsible for "vigorously moving the boat" while the army rangers tried to board, endangering their lives. Ozgen was given a headline sentence of 30 years, Estoesta received a headline sentence of 28 years; Jelveh was given 27 years; Vlasoi was given 26; Hassani received 24 years; Gavryk 23 years; Lapa 23 years and Harbron to 22 years. But guilty pleas and other mitigating factors saw these sentences reduced. Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, age 49, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Filipino Harold Estoesta, 31, was sentenced to 18 years. The captain, Iranian Soheil Jelveh, 51, was sentenced to 17.5 years. Ukrainian Vitaliy Vlasoi, 32, was sentenced to 16.5 years. Iranian Saeid Hassani, 39, was sentenced to 15 years. Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk, 32, was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa, aged 62, was sentenced to 14.5 years. And UK national Jamie Harbron was sentenced to 13.5 years.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
I'm raging after catching my neighbour STEALING electricity & this was after they caused our water to be cut off too
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