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A drugs haul, worth in the region of €850,000, discovered in a house in Resika, Kilcommon, Thurles, Co. Tipperary yesterday, is now believed to have links to the Limerick City, jailed, Collopy criminal gang.
 One male suspect, aged 45, living in St Mary’s Park, Limerick city, was arrested as part of this planned Garda operation, and is understood to have close links with Brian and Kieran Collopy.
The suspect is still being questioned today, at Thurles Garda Station, under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking Act) 1996, latter Act which allows Gardaí to question suspects for up to seven days without charge.
The Limerick City Collopy criminal gang first got involved in the drug trade sometime in the late 1990’s. The family, also from St Mary’s Park, became involved with the Keane gang headed up by brothers Christy and Kieran, who were already operating a lucrative drug enterprise.
The Collopy gang are understood to have located a consignment of drugs then owned by the Keanes, which the Collopy gang then took possession of and independently sold. Despite their anger the Keane gang came to the realisation that the Collopy gang had an exceptional talent of quickly moving illicit drug products onto the streets. Instead of chastising the Collopy’s for their actions; instead they enlisted the Collopy’s to assist directly using their realised talents.
In January 2003, Kieran Keane was kidnapped, tortured and shot dead. Christy Keane, would have better luck, going on to serve part of a ten year jail sentence for possession of cannabis valued at €250,000, while surviving a second attempt on his life in 2015.
At the height of the Limerick feud, the Keane’s had fought a turf war with the McCarthy’s from Moyross and their cousins, the Dundon’s, latter who operated in Ballinacurra Weston. The Collopy family appear to have stepped back from this feud, concentrating solely on selling drugs to old established wholesalers. With Christy now in jail and Kieran deceased, the Collopy gang took advantage of this lucrative vacuum naturally created in St Mary’s Park.
After years of evading all prosecution Brian and Kieran Collopy were each jailed for eight years last July; both pleading guilty to possessing nearly €40,000 worth of heroin, for sale or supply, on December 15th, 2015.
On an earlier date both men, had been observed associating with Dublin drug lord George “Penguin” Mitchell, at a Supermacs outlet in Portlaoise, Co. Laois. Both had been under strict Garda surveillance.
Gardaí now believe, that despite being resident in jail; the Collopy’s continue to run their lucrative illicit drugs business, directly from behind bars.
 The Garda Press Office have confirmed that a major drug seizure has taken place, early this morning, (8th March 2017), near Thurles, Co. Tippearay.
It is confirmed that drugs including Heroin and Cocaine, with a possible street value of €850,000, has been recovered during the raid.
As part of ‘Operation Thor’, the multi-strand national anti-crime strategy, Gardaí from Thurles District, together with officers from other areas of Co. Tipperary, searched a house at Reiska, Kilcommon, (some 27.3 km or 17 miles via the R503 from Thurles), early this morning.
During the course of this search, Gardaí uncovered a large quantity of controlled substances, which included Heroin and Cocaine, with an approximate street value of €850,000 (subject to analysis).
One male is understood to have been arrested and is being detained in a Tipperary Garda station, under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 as amended.
 Thurles District Court International Irish boxer Mr Michael O’Reilly will answer charges, in court next June 2017, regarding alleged criminal damage and the breaching of the Public Order Act, all which occurred during an incident last year.
Judge Elizabeth MacGrath adjourned the case yesterday, for three months, at Thurles District Court. Mr O’Reilly has pleaded not guilty to three charges arising from an incident at Ballybeg, Littleton, Co. Tipperary, on April 18th of last year.
The court heard yesterday that the trial is most likely to take at least a half day to complete, with two other co-accused persons, including one juvenile, also understood to have had connections with Mr O’Reilly’s case.
Mr O’Reilly had been sent home in disgrace from the Rio Olympics last August 2016, having failed a drugs test. The 23-year-old, with an address in Mountrath, Co. Laois, had been one of Ireland’s main hopes for an Olympic medal.
Mr Ross Outram, aged 26, with an address at Ferryland, Waterford Road, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, has been charged with the murder of elderly pensioner and farmer Mr Paddy Lyons; latter found savagely beaten to death in his remote rural farmhouse last Saturday.
Wearing dark trousers, blue and white trainers and a navy jumper, the accused Mr Outram was brought before Dungarvan district court this morning, having been charged with the murder last night. Mr Outram had previously been arrested on Monday afternoon in Clonmel and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
He was later questioned during Monday evening and into Tuesday, at Dungarvan garda station, in relation to the death of the 90 year old pensioner. Detective Sergeant Shay Keevans told Dungarvan district court that he had charged Mr Outram at the Garda station at 11.55pm on Tuesday night.
Judge Finn granted the accused legal aid, while remanding him in custody to appear before Dungarvan district in seven days, on Wednesday, March 8th next.
No application was made for bail since, being on a murder charge, bail application can only be dealt with by the High Court and not at District Court level.
A man in his 20’s was arrested in the Tipperary area, shortly after 5.00pm yesterday, before being brought to Dungarvan Garda Station for questioning.
His questioning is understood to be with regard to the horrific murder of pensioner Mr Paddy Lyons, aged 90, who was attacked with a blunt weapon in his home in Loughreagh, Ballysaggart in Co. Waterford on Friday last.
The arrested male is being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows Gardaí to detain him, without charge, for up to 24 hours. Gardaí are understood to have also moved to examine a property on the Waterford Road, out of Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. Reports this morning state that the area remains sealed off, with a considerable Gardaí presence; searching grounds surrounding the dwelling house.
It is understood that Mr Lyons, when found, had suffered horrific injuries to his head and in particular the facial area. Unconfirmed reports believe Mr Lyons may possibly have known the killer from previous visits to his isolated dwelling, same situated just 11km (6.9mls) from the tourist area of Lismore in Co. Waterford.
It has also been suggested that a number of other people may have visited the home of Mr Lyons, also on the same day that he was savagely murdered.
Gardaí in Dungarvan continue to appeal for witnesses to contact them on Tel: 058 48600, or the Garda Confidential Line on Tel: 1800 666 111 or indeed through any Garda station.
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