In a wide ranging and animated Q&A on Wednesday night, The Monk denied a Judge’s assertion that he was at one point in control of the weapons used in the Regency Hotel shooting

20:34, 11 Feb 2026Updated 20:45, 11 Feb 2026

Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch gets animated when we question him about the ‘Hutch Organised Crime Group.’

Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch has denied to The Irish Mirror that he is the leader of an organised crime gang.

An at times agitated Hutch (62) wasn’t happy when this paper asked him questions at an arranged event promoting an upcoming show about his life at the Ambassador Theatre.

“I’m no leader of any crime gang. I was never in a crime gang,” he eventually said, when pressed.

In a wide ranging and animated Q&A on Wednesday night, The Monk denied a Judge’s assertion that he was at one point in control of the weapons used in the Regency Hotel shooting, and finally confirmed he is going to run in the upcoming by-election in Dublin Central in May.

We asked Hutch, who is facing a Garda investigation over allegedly running a crime gang, about comments made by senior officers last week of the existence of the ‘Hutch Organised Crime Group’ – which is actively involved in the distribution of drugs in this country.

Amid repeated calls from organisers to stick to asking Hutch about ‘The Monk’ play, the frustrated crime figure told us:

“I’ve no interest. I’m not going to answer it. Don’t as me about gardai. This is a play. I’m not interested in gardai. If you ask me I’m just going to shut up.”

Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch answers questions asked by The Irish Mirror Crime Correspondent, Paul Healy. (Image: Sam Boal/Collins)

Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch and actor Rex Ryan as they get an exclusive behind the scenes look at the Monk Set, ahead of the theatre production of The Monk. (Image: Sam Boal/Collins )

Another person in the room then asked this paper to stick to asking questions about the play, in which Rex Ryan is playing Hutch in a one man show. We stated that we were there to ask any questions we wanted, and that it was up to Hutch to answer how he wanted.

“Go on ask me,” Hutch then said. We then asked him about whether he knew of the existence of the Hutch OCG.

“You were at the trial Paul. You recorded. You got everything. You heard what the judge said.”

As organisers tried to move questions back to the play, this reporter pointed out to Hutch that he is a crime journalist, and he knew he was going to be asked these questions.

“I’m not going into criminality Paul,” he said, adding that if we did ask those questions we could expect to be rebutted.

“You don’t want to be the second dying wasp, do you?” he said.

We then pointed out to Hutch that Ms Justice Tara Burns, who ultimately acquitted him of the murder of Kinahan cartel associate David Byrne, did assert in her summary that on the basis of the evidence, he was likely in control of the weapons used in the shooting – after it occurred.

“Well the judge can say what she likes. You were there. You heard it all. You heard it in detail,” Hutch responded to us.

He then repeated words issued by the Judge, stating that he stepped in after the Regency hit to try and make peace.

“I got in as a member of the family to try nip it in the bud. As a member of the family. End of,” he said.

Hutch was also asked about his running in the by-election, to which he confirmed for the first time that he was. He did not however elaborate on what any of his policies may be.

“Ah we have it covered yeah. It is what it is – win, lose or draw.

“I’m standing for the people in the community and I don’t count me birds until me eggs hatch. There’s no sense in me telling everybody I’m going to build Mount Everest, I’m going to build Liberty Hall. I have to get there. I don’t make promises I can’t deliver on,” he said, adding that he wasn’t going to tell any reporter.

We later put it to Hutch that if he was running in an election, was it not fair to ask him whatever question we wanted. Having earlier told this reporter that he was going down the same route as RTE reporter Paul Reynolds, who he labelled a “dying wasp,” Hutch said:

“Well you can ask any question you like but you can expect the Paul Reynolds answer. The State answer,” he said.

“Certain questions are asked of me like Paul Reynolds asked me on behalf of the State.

“As you know Paul gets paid by the State and they get three quarters of a billion off the government to protect the government. So if you ask me certain things. The government, it’s not in my interest to let the government know my hand, my card.

“And if you go on, I’ll just call you a dying wasp like Paul.”

Actor Rex Ryan and Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch. (Image: Sam Boal/Collins)

Actor Rex Ryan and Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch pictured in the Ambassador Theatre, Dublin. (Image: Sam Boal/Collins)

We asked Hutch about the fact that gardai have sent a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions, recommending that he be charged with directing a criminal organisation.

“Ah there’s files with the DPP the height of the f*cking Mount Everest. There has been a for years.

“I’m no leader of any crime gang. I was never in a crime gang. The judge said I was the leader of a family and I think I’ll leave it at that,” he said.

He was also asked about failed State witness Jonathan Dowdall, whose evidence during the Special Criminal Court that The Monk confessed to the murder of David Byrne, was rejected by the judges. A

“Ah I’ve nothing to say about Jonathan Dowdall. Nothing whatsoever,” he said.

He was asked by another reporter if Dowdall , who is now in witness protection abroad, would ever be safe to return to Ireland.

“You’d know. Is it safe? Are you going to do anything to him? Well I’m certainly not. I think karma will do that itself,” he responded.

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He was later asked about the play, which he said he’d attend on opening night next week.

“I think it’s going to bring people in from all walks of life and I think it’s fabulous to do that. A lot of people from where I come from don’t really go to the theatre and hopefully they will to see Rex,” he said.

Last week Garda Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland revealed that the Hutch Organised Crime Group is still actively involved in the distribution of drugs in this country to this day – and is a top target for the force.

He told the media ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Regency Hotel shooting, that the Hutch gang “is heavily involved in drug trafficking and always was heavily involved in drug trafficking.

“In fact, that’s why the feud, as we call it, initially took place – it was for supremacy in relation to areas of drug trafficking in this state,” he added.

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