Northern Ireland

Quinn Industrial Holdings: Timeline of harrassment and intimidation

A pig's head placed at the home of a Quinn Industrial Holdings director in December 2015
A pig's head placed at the home of a Quinn Industrial Holdings director in December 2015 A pig's head placed at the home of a Quinn Industrial Holdings director in December 2015
By Brendan Hughes

DOZENS of incidents of harassment and intimidation have taken place against Quinn Industrial Holdings over the past four years.

A timeline has been compiled cataloguing the threats and abuse faced by QIH, its employees, directors and senior management. There have also been numerous anonymous posts online which have spread misinformation.

A pig's head left at a director's home, bullets in the post, cars set alight and a vehicle trying to push another off the road are among the dozens of threatening incidents.
A pig's head left at a director's home, bullets in the post, cars set alight and a vehicle trying to push another off the road are among the dozens of threatening incidents. A pig's head left at a director's home, bullets in the post, cars set alight and a vehicle trying to push another off the road are among the dozens of threatening incidents.

January 2015: An articulated lorry belonging to the company is set alight at Derrylin cement works.

December 13 2015: A can of petrol and matches are found at the door of a wind farm substation in which QIH directors Tony and Kevin Lunney are shareholders. Graffiti on a wall reads: "Tony, Kevin – it's your choice."

A can of petrol and matches left in December 2015 at the door of a windfarm substation at Molly Mountain, in which Tony and Kevin Lunney are shareholders, along with threatening graffiti
A can of petrol and matches left in December 2015 at the door of a windfarm substation at Molly Mountain, in which Tony and Kevin Lunney are shareholders, along with threatening graffiti A can of petrol and matches left in December 2015 at the door of a windfarm substation at Molly Mountain, in which Tony and Kevin Lunney are shareholders, along with threatening graffiti

December 13 2015: A pig's head is placed at the home of a director. The pig's head was discovered by the director's young children returning from a trip to Santa.

A pig's head placed at the home of a Quinn Industrial Holdings director in December 2015
A pig's head placed at the home of a Quinn Industrial Holdings director in December 2015 A pig's head placed at the home of a Quinn Industrial Holdings director in December 2015

February 9 2016: Heavy plant and equipment is damaged in a quarry at Swanlinbar, Co Cavan, after a corrosive substance was put in diesel tanks, damaging the engines beyond repair.

February 2016: Abusive and defamatory signs with directors' names are placed on the roadside close to the company's offices.

March 7 2016: Three bullets, a funeral wreath and a threatening note are sent to energy firm Vestas. The note tells workers to "stay away" from Slieve Rushen wind farm, formerly owned by the Quinn group, or "face the bullet – final warning".

Three rifle bullets, a funeral wreath and a threatening note were sent to Vestas Northern Europe in March 2016
Three rifle bullets, a funeral wreath and a threatening note were sent to Vestas Northern Europe in March 2016 Three rifle bullets, a funeral wreath and a threatening note were sent to Vestas Northern Europe in March 2016

April 2016: A sign is placed at the entrance of the company headquarters which reads, "Remove the UDA + UVF off our mountain or face the gun".

A sign erected in April 2016 placed at the entrance to QIH headquarters saying "remove the UDA + UVF off our mountain or face the gun". QIH described it as "clearly an attempt to inflame local republican paramilitary sympathisers to take action again the individuals named".
A sign erected in April 2016 placed at the entrance to QIH headquarters saying "remove the UDA + UVF off our mountain or face the gun". QIH described it as "clearly an attempt to inflame local republican paramilitary sympathisers to take ac A sign erected in April 2016 placed at the entrance to QIH headquarters saying "remove the UDA + UVF off our mountain or face the gun". QIH described it as "clearly an attempt to inflame local republican paramilitary sympathisers to take action again the individuals named".

August 8 2016: Damage to crushing equipment in Gortmullan quarry after foreign bodies were put into oil tanks.

September 22 2016: Engine damage to heavy plant and equipment in Gortmullan quarry after sand and corrosive material were put into the fuel and engine oil tanks.

January 2017: Sand is found in the hydraulic system of an excavator in Gortmullan shale pit.

September 19 2017: Intimidatory signs appear.

October 29 2017: A sign is erected close to an office on the northern side of the border.

November 2 2017: Two signs erected near Kevin Lunney's home saying "Burn Glass Factory AG".

November 22 2017: A sign appears naming a member of QIH management.

April 22 2018: A sign is erected at Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, naming and making criticisms of QIH directors.

May 3 2018: A nephew of Kevin and Tony Lunney is attacked, sustaining a facial injury.

June 19 2018: Signs against named QIH directors are erected in Ballyconnell and Derrylin.

Posters erected at Derrylin and Ballyconnell in September 2018
Posters erected at Derrylin and Ballyconnell in September 2018 Posters erected at Derrylin and Ballyconnell in September 2018

August 31 2018: Arson attack in Belturbet, Co Cavan at Eco Tyre Threading Solutions, which is owned by one of QIH's senior managers.

September 8 2018: Phone threat made against QIH chairman Adrian Barden.

September 15 2018: A car tries to force a patrol vehicle off the road between Ballyconnell and Derrylin.

September 22 2018: A poster about a non-executive director is spotted in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim.

October 2 2018: A lorry driver sees a car acting suspiciously close to his home at Derrylin.

October 3 2018: An investigation is launched about an overturned lorry.

October 9 2018: PSNI says it received a confidential line call warning that "one of the Lunneys was going to be attacked", according to QIH.

October 17 2018: QIH chief finance officer Dara O'Reilly's car is set alight outside his home in Butlersbridge, Co Cavan.

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

Dara O'Reilly: 'Luckily we all got out'

October 30 2018: A car is burnt out in an arson attack in Ballyconnell at the home of Tony Lunney.

A car targeted in an arson attack at the home of QIH director Tony Lunney in October last year in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan
A car targeted in an arson attack at the home of QIH director Tony Lunney in October last year in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan A car targeted in an arson attack at the home of QIH director Tony Lunney in October last year in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan

November 28 2018: Damage to machinery in Gortmullen identified after a blue substance is removed from the engine.

A pig's head left at a director's home, bullets in the post, cars set alight and a vehicle trying to push another off the road are among the dozens of threatening incidents.
A pig's head left at a director's home, bullets in the post, cars set alight and a vehicle trying to push another off the road are among the dozens of threatening incidents. A pig's head left at a director's home, bullets in the post, cars set alight and a vehicle trying to push another off the road are among the dozens of threatening incidents.

November 29 2018: Two masked individuals are captured on CCTV attempting to remove a ventilation grille on the front of a wind farm substation, in a suspected arson attempt.

CCTV images of two masked people spotted attempting to remove a ventilation grille on the front of wind farm substation in November 2018
CCTV images of two masked people spotted attempting to remove a ventilation grille on the front of wind farm substation in November 2018 CCTV images of two masked people spotted attempting to remove a ventilation grille on the front of wind farm substation in November 2018

December 22 2018: Two people arrested close to the Molly wind farm entrance. A vehicle is also pursued over the border close to Kinawley.

February 1 2019: Dara O'Reilly and Kevin Lunney are allegedly attacked at a service station. Both receive hospital treatment.

March 24 2019: A man is captured on camera at Eco Tyres in a suspected attempted burglary or arson.

September 17 2019: Kevin Lunney is abducted in Co Fermanagh and badly beaten by a masked gang before being left at the side of a road in Co Cavan.

Read more:

  • Dara O'Reilly: It could easily have been me abducted instead of Kevin Lunney
  • Kevin Lunney abduction shocked Ireland north and south
  • QIH chief executive Liam McCaffrey: For two hours we didn't know if Kevin was alive or dead

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