Exile: John Gilligan will not return home for funeral over "media circus" fears Exiled gangster John Gilligan will not return to Ireland for his brother's funeral this week.
Gilligan's family have said the mobster - who fled Ireland after being gunned down - will not be attending the funeral of Bernard Gilligan (52), who passed away at the weekend following a suspected heart attack.
John Gilligan had apparently been seeking a short-term pass to attend the funeral but sources on social media say he will not attend over fears it would turn the gathering into a media circus.
It was reported Gilligan was organising a trip home to pay his final respects but the decision has been made to forego the funeral.
A statement on the Let's Talk About John Gilligan page on Facebook read: "I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the Gilligan family on the passing of John’s brother Bernard. May he rest in peace", Sam Hall said.
"I would like to remind some people that John was found not guilty of the murder of Mrs Guerin. The newpapers continue to print false accounts of what happened and some people believe them.
"John will not be travelling home to the funeral out of respect for his family and not to turn it into a media circus."
Gilligan was forced to flee the country after being shot a number of times in a gun attack at his brother's home in Clondalkin.
He left the country by ferry under garda escort and has been rehabilitating abroad ever since, reports suggest. His minder Stephen 'Dougie' Moran was shot dead just a day before Gilligan himself was targeted.
