SHOW OF STRENGTH: Volley of shots fired at the funeral of murdered RIRA leader Alan Ryan

FOR THE Real IRA, 2012 will be remembered as the year that gangland hit back. The terrorist organisation will be glad to wave goodbye to the last 12 months, which saw its Dublin leader Alan Ryan shot dead in what was the most seismic hit of the year.

Amid the fallout, several key RIRA members were arrested and others were booted out of the organisation. The dissident group, which had been at the centre of several gangland disputes in the capital over the past two years, found itself fighting a war on two fronts, against criminals and gardai.

The terror group led by Alan Ryan, from Donaghmede in the city, started the year confident that they were the main players in the Dublin criminal scene. Months earlier they had brazenly killed Micka 'the Panda' Kelly in a dispute over money, underlining their untouchable status as the most feared underworld crew operating in the city.

Taxing



SLAIN: Alan Ryan was shot on Dublin street

Their main source of income came from taxing drug dealers and it is understood more criminals had been paying up as Ryan's reputation grew. But with 'the Panda' dead, the terror gang was already involved in an escalating feud with a major criminal dubbed 'Mr Big' that would have deadly consequences. There had been several incidents between Ryan's crew and associates of 'Mr Big', including assaults outside nightclubs and threats to kill on both sides.

By March tensions were running extremely high and 'Mr Big' left Ireland for Spain. Behind the scenes he was believed to be plotting Ryan's murder and his associates travelled to Spain to hold meetings with him. Meanwhile, back in Dublin, Ryan's crew continued to assert its dominance and became involved in a number of violent incidents with drugs gangs in the city.

Jason O'Connor (34), from Clonsilla, had his finger chopped off by Ryan's gang. They made an associate of O'Connor and Kennedy watch the incident. He was told he would have his legs chopped off if he tried to cross the RIRA gang.

In July the Real IRA merged with two other dissident groups to form a new group calling themselves the IRA, with Alan Ryan as its Dublin chief. They were aware of threats against them from organised crime gangs, but believed they were untouchable. One afternoon in September would show them they were not.

Ryan was walking to his pal Declan Smith's home in Clongriffin when a gunman approached him from behind and shot him a number of times. His associate Aaron Nealis, from Sligo, was injured, but survived. Ryan's associates vowed revenge and in December veteran gangster Eamon Kelly (65), was shot dead near his home in Killester.

Kelly was not believed to have been directly involved in Ryan's death, but was seen as an easy target. He had previously been targeted by the Ryan crew in 2010, but survived the attack when the gun jammed. He was not as lucky this time and was shot up to six times before dying of his injuries.

Charged

Sean Connolly (34), from Bluebell, was charged with the murder. At the beginning of 2012 the RIRA were undoubtedly the most feared gang operating in Dublin, but their fortunes have significantly changed. The balance of power appears to have shifted back to criminals who grew in confidence following Ryan's murder.

But it is that very same confidence that has been the downfall of dozens of criminals, from Eamon Dunne to Alan Ryan and Eamon Kelly. Kelly's killing is evidence that the RIRA have not ended their war with drugs gangs. The sad likelihood is the feud will continue on into 2013 and victories will be claimed by both sides. One thing is certain; there will be no winners in the long run.