Northern Ireland

Kevin Lunney abduction shocked Ireland north and south

The abduction of Kevin Lunney took place just outside his Derrylin home.
The abduction of Kevin Lunney took place just outside his Derrylin home. The abduction of Kevin Lunney took place just outside his Derrylin home.

The abduction and torture of businessman Kevin Lunney caused a deep sense of shock throughout Ireland.

The horrific details of the attack read like a Sopranos script.

After years of harassment, low level attacks and threats, the well planned abduction of the father of five took the animus surrounding the Quinn Industrial Holdings management to a more sinister and shocking level.

After Mr Lunney's vehicle was rammed outside his Fermanagh home he was bundled into a car and taken over 20-miles across the border and tortured.

His leg was broken, finger nails cut off and letters carved into his chest.

The QIH director was then dumped by the side of the road in a semi-conscious state and covered in bleach to clean away any forensic evidence.

Read more:

  • Dara O'Reilly: It could easily have been me abducted instead of Kevin Lunney
  • QIH chief executive Liam McCaffrey: For two hours we didn't know if Kevin was alive or dead
  • Quinn Industrial Holdings: Timeline of harrassment and intimidation

Tony Lunney: 'I was saying 'He can't be in the car''

Mr Lunney is recovering slowly from his physical injuries. His mental scars however may take much longer to heal as a result of his unthinkable ordeal as he helps detectives piece together the events of that night.

Law enforcement on both sides of the border are involved in the investigation.

The campaign of harassment against the company directors, who took over QIH after the fall from grace of former owner Sean Quinn, is ongoing with death threats still hanging over their heads.

In a recent interview with Channel 4 news, Mr Quinn admitted that up until a month ago, he still harboured ambitions of "sorting out" the Quinn group.

However, after the attack on Kevin Lunney he no longer has any desire to return to the company he once led, saying he did not want to be seen as being the 'beneficiary of abuse or criminal activity.'

Liam McCaffrey: 'We didn't do anything to deserve this'

There remains a number of people in the rural border community who are still loyal to Sean Quinn, who believe he took care of them at a time when the area was an economic wasteland.

However, there is also genuine outrage at the barbarity of the attack on Mr Lunney and the threat to existing jobs at QIH if the intimidation continues.

There are very real fears are that after the initial public outrage fades that it will be 'business as usual' for the cross border gang responsible for the more serious attacks.

Law enforcement on both sides of the border must be seen to bring to justice those responsible, however, given the nature and history of the area they are attempting to police that may be an all but impossible task.

Read more:

  • Tony Lunney: The abduction and torture of my brother Kevin was a terrifying ordeal
  • Kevin Lunney is recovering well from injuries inflicted by masked men
  • Sean Quinn: Attacks are not being done in my name