The Co. Clare GAA club of All-Ireland winning hurling player and manager, Brian Lohan suffered cumulative losses of €47,380 arising from a burglary committed by three Limerick men in July 2024, a court has heard.
At a sentencing hearing of the three concerning 105 separate guilty pleas before Ennis Circuit Court, Det Garda Aoife O’Malley said that the costs of the burglary of Wolfe Tones GAA club in Shannon from July 9th 2024 totals €47,380.
In the case, Eddie Carey (31), Owen Casey (28) and Tyreke Casey Curtin (25) carried out the burglary and the Wolfe Tones burglary was one of seven burglaries the three pleaded guilty to on one day alone on July 9th 2024.
The other burglaries took place at Oran Tan, Castle Street, Oranmore; Gala Chinese, Castle Street, Oranmore; Hair Symphony, Clarinbridge; News and Views Bridge St, Gort, Daybreak, Crusheen and Poppy Seed Café, Clarinbridge.
In evidence, Det Garda O’Malley said that during the 2.18am Wolfe Tones burglary significant damage was caused by the removal of the club safe which resulted in €16,000 damage to the bar counter at the club.
Det O’Malley said that the club safe cost €7,000 to replace and she said that the safe was recovered on July 15th from Croom and was completely burned out.
Det O’Malley said that €12,380 in cash was removed from the safe while the cost of the temporary closure of the clubhouse for a number of days was put at €12,000.
Det O’Malley said that Eoin Casey lost the tip of a baby finger as the burglars placed the stolen safe into the back of their vehicle at the main entrance to the clubhouse.
Det O‘Malley said that Mr Casey’s blood spilled onto the steps outside the main entrance of the club and in an effort to get rid of any DNA evidence Eddie Carey poured fuel onto the steps and then set it alight.
CCTV footage of Mr Carey setting the fuel on fire was played to the court and Det O’Malley said that despite the fire, Gardai were able to retrieve DNA evidence of Mr Casey from the scene.
Twelve separate victim impact statements were read out to the court by counsel for the State, Sarah Jane Comerford BL (instructed by State Solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey) arising from the trio’s crime spree at locations in Galway, Clare and Limerick starting in October 2023 to January 2025.
In the victim impact statement provided by Wolfe Tones, club Cathaoirleach, Gearóid de Buitléir along Amanda ni hÓgáin and Jake Ó Breasláin stated that the “clubhouse and bar facility that was targeted is a vital source of income for the club”.
They said that “to arrive and witness the scale of damage caused has left a lasting sense of shock, anger and upset amongst those individuals and across the wider club community.”
They said that the club has been forced to put in place a professional security response service and “this represents an ongoing and indefinite cost that did not previously exist. These are funds that would otherwise have been invested in our underage teams and community initiative”.
They state that “in real terms, this incident has diverted resources away from young people in our community – away from coaching, equipment and development – and into covering costs arising from criminal damage.”
They state that Wolfe Tones na Sionna GAA Club “is a source of pride in Shannon…this incident has caused genuine distress and disappointment among members, families and supporters”.
Ms Comerford said that the three accused were involved in theft, unauthorised taking, residential burglaries and commercial burglaries and handling of vehicles from October 2023 to January 6th 2025.
Det Garda O’Malley said that during the period of offending, Mr Carey asked a family member to set up a public TikTok account called ‘Munster Crime Gang’ where images and videos of stolen vehicles were uploaded to.
In the case, Tyreke Casey Curtin (25) of Caisleán na hAbhann, Castletroy, Limerick has pleaded guilty to 23 offences which is in addition to the combined 82 guilty pleas entered into by Mr Carey and Owen Casey.
Mr Carey (31) of De Vere Court, John Carew Park, Limerick has pleaded guilty to 42 offences and Owen Casey (28) of Salvia Court, Keyes Park, Southill, Limerick has pleaded guilty to 40 offences.
All three have been on remand in custody from different dates last year and Judge Francis Comerford further remanded the three in custody for sentencing at a later date.
