Real IRA death squad hunts Don’s mates Michael O'Toole May 16, 2013
Ireland’s latest gun victim was sitting up in his hospital bed chatting last night — despite being blasted four times in the back at point-blank range in a daylight murder bid.
Sources told The Star that businessman and bodybuilder Sean Enright has a bullet lodged centimetres from his heart — but somehow survived the attack.
It’s the second time in just over two years that Mr Enright — who turned 33 six days ago and was a close pal of slain mobster Eamonn ‘The Don’ Dunne — has survived a gun murder bid and gardai believe his physique saved his life.
“His muscles must be made of steel,” a source said last night.
“He should be dead now, but instead he’s sitting up in his hospital bed and talking away.
“It is incredible he survived.”
The Star has learned that Mr Enright was given a so called Garda Information Message, or GIM, last January warning that his life was at immediate risk — but he shrugged off the threat.
Gardai were last night linking the latest attack to a botched assassination attempt in north Dublin 24 hours earlier in which criminal Derek McLoughlin escaped uninjured when his assailant’s gun jammed.
Detectives were working on the theory that the Real IRA were behind both murder attempts — and are braced for further attacks.
The RIRA are extorting cash from businessmen such as Mr Enright and are also targeting criminals such as Derek McLoughlin — and officers fear other people are now in their sights.
“They tried to kill two people in just 24 hours,” a source said.
There will be others they want dead too.”
The gunman walked up to Mr Enright and blasted him four times from behind with a semi-automatic pistol as he walked into the Universal Gym he operates in the Ballyboggan Industrial Estate in Glasnevin, Dublin, just after 10.40am.
One of the bullets hit him in the neck — while the other three hit his back.
The bullet that hit his neck passed clean through, but two of the three in his back were still lodged in his body last night.
Sources say one was lodged just centimetres from his heart, while the other was in his liver.
“A few centimetres closer and the bullet would have got the heart and he would not be talking to anyone,” a source said.
Mr Enright, who has a minor criminal conviction for possessing a stun gun in 2007 that saw him slapped with a €750 fine, was rushed to the Mater hospital after the attack — and it was feared he was going to die.
But The Star has established his life is not in any danger and he is expected to make a full recovery.
The gunman was driven away in the direction of Finglas in a silver Mini with North registration plates — but the car had not been found as of last night.
Shell casings and two black sports bags could be seen at the entrance to the warehouse-type fitness centre where the shooting was carried out.
The champion bodybuilder survived a gun attack in January 2011 when he was shot several times as he sat in a car outside a house in Clonsilla, west Dublin.
On that occasion, a RIRA gunman hit him with five bullets, striking him in the leg, arm and chest — but again Enright managed to survive.
That shooting was linked to an extortion racket run by RIRA boss Alan Ryan (32), who was gunned down in north Dublin in September last year.
The Ballyboggan industrial estate is about six miles from the city centre.
Officers were linking yesterday’s hit to the botched murder attempt 24 hours earlier on convicted criminal Derek McLoughlin — also a pal of 34-year-old Eamonn Dunne, who was killed in Cabra in April 2010.
Mr McLoughlin (48) was leaving a gym in Swords when a gunman approached and pulled the trigger of a pistol.
Miraculously, the gun jammed twice and the would-be killer fled.
Gardai in Cabra are investigating the murder bid on Mr Enright and have appealed for witnesses to contact them on 01-6667400. digg Share on Tumblr Email Share
