One line in the Garda investigation is that a potential murder did not occur because the gun jammed.
The shocking incident happened at a well-known and respected west Dublin restaurant at 6pm on Thursday when two gangsters entered the premises.
Clondalkin gardaí are investigating the incident, and sources say that it is being linked to one of a number of entangled and bitter feuds that have broken out in that locality.
“Two major-league criminals were present in the restaurant with a number of women when two other men entered the premises.
Jason Hennessy Snr
“It seems the target was pistol whipped, suffering a nasty facial injury, before the gun was pointed at his mate’s face,” a source told the Sunday World.
“It is not exactly clear what happened then but he then pointed the handgun at the other individual and the weapon may have jammed, and this person was not injured before the gunman and his accomplice ran out of the restaurant,” the source added.
The suspects fled the scene in a suspected stolen car and no arrests have yet been made in the case.
This is one of literally hundreds of incidents that have been mostly unreported in the media in a complex web of gangland feuding in the Clondalkin, Lucan and Ronanstown areas of the capital in the past three years.
The primary target of the botched restaurant attack is a 29-year-old local gangster who was recently released from prison for his role in a terrifying drug debt intimidation incident in a Munster county on behalf of his gang.
The target has previous convictions for offences such as possession of a firearm and ammunition as well as drug dealing.
“He is not the smartest individual in the criminal fraternity but is absolutely up to his neck in this now,” a source explained.
It is not known if the Clondalkin criminal needed hospital treatment after being struck in the face with the handgun but he refused to cooperate with detectives who rushed to the scene.
His facial injuries have been described as being “substantial.”
Excellent quality CCTV has been obtained by investigators which is being analysed by gardaí this weekend.
The criminal who suffered head injuries after being struck by the gun was in the company of a 24-year-old man who is currently on bail after being charged with a major cocaine and cannabis haul in Clondalkin last year.
Browne’s Steakhouse where a gang-related attack took place
He had been originally remanded in custody on these charges but was later granted bail and is suspected of continuing to be involved in gangland activity.
The handgun was pointed at this young criminal who sources said is building up a “bit of a reputation” and there may have been an attempt to shoot him except the gun potentially jammed.
Also present were a number of innocent female pals of the targeted men; however, they were not injured during the shocking incident.
“All the indications are is that this part of a very localised feud,” a source told the Sunday World last night.
The chief suspects are linked to a gang from the Rowalagh area of Clondalkin whose members have a litany of previous convictions including for violent assaults, intimidation and drugs offences.
This family linked gang is led by volatile young men aged in their mid and late 20s.
The incident has echoes of the brutal murder of Jason Hennessy Snr who was gunned down in a restaurant in Dublin on Christmas Eve in 2023.
Hennessy Snr, who was regarded as a member of a West Dublin crime gang, was shot at close range by gunman Tristan Sherry as he ate a meal with family and friends in Browne’s Steakhouse in Blanchardstown.
After shooting Hennessy in the packed restaurant, Sherry’s gun jammed and he was disarmed and beaten to death by a group of men.