We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
CRIME BOSS JOHN Gilligan, who is due to be released from prison next week after 12 years behind bars, has said he won’t speak to the media after he gets out.
In a statement issued through his solicitor, the criminal says he will refuse all offers for interviews, even if he’s offered “one million euro”.
Gilligan was jailed in 2001 for drug trafficking offences. He was the leader of the gang which was responsible for the killing of the journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996.
According to the statement, the criminal won’t be talking as he is “engaged in other litigation with various authorities in the Republic of Ireland”:
For this, and other reasons, neither he, nor any member of his family, will be speaking to the media concerning any of his plans or intentions with regard to his future, nor any other subject.In particular, Mr. Gilligan wishes to stress that offers of money or any other reward for media interviews or comments will not sway him from the position set out above.
Mr. Gilligan wishes it to be expressly known that even if each paper, magazine and or Television Station offered him one million euro, he will not give an interview.
Accordingly, representatives of the media in general are invited to desist from what is and will be a fruitless pursuit of Mr. Gilligan and his family.
The statement was released to media outlets by Cavan-based solicitor Joanne Kangley.
Gilligan is scheduled to be released from the high security prison in Portlaoise on Tuesday next.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
He’s got some neck,who does he think he is…the pint sized f#ck !
Unbelievable stuff, 12 years for all the misery he’s caused?? And that, people, is the way of the Irish justice system
Sure whats a million to a man that has millions hidden away,and his pub in Spain
What misery Monty? He was jailed for dealing cannabis, not heroin trafficking or murder
I think any dirt bird that has dealt any amount of heroin has caused more ‘misery’ than Factory John!
But he is a murderer. He issued the order to shoot Veronica Guerin in cold blood.
Good lad deco, you keep telling yourself that son.
Any media outlet that pays this scvm for an interview should be immediately boycotted…
You know that for a fact Karl do you? Why didn’t you tell a detective this all them years ago?
Word is he bummed his fair share of blokes while inside over the last few years. Hardly good for his street cred in the world of crime.
How do you know that snug?
Dont think the Ireland is knew going in is the same as when he is out. He might be in for a few shocks
My aunt worked in the prison until she transferred. It was a badly kept secret apparently.
Paul Williams made millions vilifying this man he was acquitted of any murder charge
This is what happens in Ireland we love to have a bogey man to blame everything on
There are people in this town trafficking hard drugs into Ireland for over 20 years and have never been mentioned in the media
People watches that Veronica geuren film and take everything as fact
Snug you were obviously bummed in prison yourself. John G is a hero. All just jealous . People will remember him when he is gone . What have you done with your life?
Your right deco guilty of conspiring to import cannabis was the charge
Monty his charge was conspiring to import cannabis nothing else he was planning to import it that is the fact
I seem the other day that he has been in prison since 1998. Started out in England and came back here in 1998
Deco what about his assault on Veronica Guerin? What about all those that he had assaulted, threatened and abused over his criminal career do they not count? And as for the Guerin murder the dogs in the street know he ordered it. Just because there was not enough proof to bring a Criminal case doesn’t mean he wasn’t responsible.
That was her own fault she trespassed on his property and if it was a male reporter nobody would have cared
So Karol. If someone comes to your door to ask you a few questions it gives you the right to viciously assault them? Try it and see what happens?
You idiot
Snug was one of them – rofl ….. how do you think he got the name “snug head”.
She endangered herself she wasn’t a guard she had no business confronting hardened criminals that’s the guards job
Her so grew up without a mother needlessly she never heeded any warning again if a make reporter was shot people would say it his own fault
The quality of hash dipped when he went inside :(
@John
Regardless of payment or otherwise, any media outlet that gives this scvm column inches or airtime should be immediately boycotted…
So an Investigative Crime Journalist has no business investigating Criminals? Should that apply to all investigative Journalism too?
They have no business confronting them or if they do they have to expect a reaction and not a nice one
@Snug. All that lot are in the closet. They’ve been in there so long the claustrophobia makes them violent.
@Karol I’ve just had someone trespass on my property in similar circumstances and ask me loads of questions, to be fair I resisted the urge to beat the ever loving sh*t out of her. Urrggg I can’t stand those Airtricity people.
Don’t talk shite!! She knocked his door and got the living hell beaten out of her for her trouble, when he realized both he and his little “empire” were under investigation by a journalist who wouldn’t back down he had her murdered. A nasty little hooer who thought he was invincible, he was wrong. Given time I’m betting he’ll end up the same as every other wannabe gansta. Dead.
Are you saying his farts dont make sounds snug?
Is that a subtle way of setting the minimum interview fee at €1 million?? I’d be interested to know how much this fella cost the State with his various cases against CAB trying to stop them seizing his assets… #chancer
Why is he out after 12 years. He initially got 30, reduced to 20 on appeal and serves 12. What a joke of a system. Even with mandatory remission of 1/4 of sentence, he should not be out for another three years. Probably reduced for good behaviour….joke of a system
Cholly. He would be already out by now only for the sentence he got for assaulting a Prison Officer. Those in charge are a joke. If a prisoner gets remission taken off because of a disciplinary report he can appeal it and 9 times out of 10 will get the remission restored.
When I joined the Job things were Old School. Prisoners knew their place. Over the years I have watched things change. Prisons have become more like health farms than somewhere you get sent for punishment. And its going to get worse until some Government grow a pair and stand up to the Do Gooders. There are several great examples of how prisons should be run across the Globe. The Georgia State Prison system for example. They run their prisons like a military boot camp. Sheriff Arpio Maracopa County. With his Tent city and Chain Gangs. And the Japanese prison system. All good examples of how a Prison should be run.
could not agree more.
This man is a hero among men. A true champion of our age.
I believe the time he served so England was taken into account. I read the other day that he has been locked up since October 1996. If the judges in this country had any bottle and left the original sentence and with the assault sentence he would still have roughly seven years left.
coz this is ireland. Steal a loaf of bread for ur starving family if u want to serve out a full sentence….yep joke of a syatem
This is to send a signal to the media, but more importantly old associates, that he is going to keep is mouth shut.
Something wrong with justice system if this fiend is out already .
The ego! As if we care what some knacker does with the rest of his pathetic little life.
As long as he doesn’t do any more harm I couldn’t care less…
In 2001 John Gilligan was sentenced to 28 years (reduced on appeal to 20 years) his 20 year sentence was extended by a further 5 years for a further conviction for threatening to kill two prison officers and their families while in Portlaoise Jail – plus he got a third sentence for mobile phone possession (6 months) Given the fact he wasn’t exactly on good behaviour in Portlaoise (see threats to kill) he ought not to have got any remission. This piece of excrement should be behind bars until 2036 – he is out on Tuesday. What a bloody country.
Time to email Dept of Justice. 12 Years for s long list of crimes. SKUM!
Excellent comment Gerry
Actually that is interesting. I wonder if the journal could do a legal piece on exactly the legal reasoning that he gets out at this period. Or even on good behaviour in general and how they decide or define it…
Well put.
Please do pursue him. Follow him, shout questions at him on the street, knock on his door and shout through his letterbox. Don’t give this piece of filth a moment’s peace.
Last person who did this tragically died. Of course, according to Deco above, Gilligan had nothing to do with this.
Elma acquitted end of story, or do you have some inside information??
Daisy… Follow him to the brazzers because I’d imagine he’ll be make a guest appearance there when he’s out!
Yes deco, because he was acquitted means he had nothing to do with it, right? It means there wasn’t enough evidence. You don’t half talk tripe on here.
No Jason I’m speaking the truth…. They jailed someone for the murder & Mr Gilligan was not 1 of them!
Your attempt at being an eloquent troll to try and ruffle a few feathers is failing miserably. Still a troll. Do something productive if you want attention.
Gilligan said john traynor ordered it. He was of course, found to be innocent of this crime too. So obviously Meehan and Holland just took it upon themselves. Is that the way it happened so?
Who wants to listen to him. It would be unbelievable to think that any irish journalist would have anything to do with his sort. Remember The bravery of Veronica Guerin who paid with her life for exposing dangerous thugs!
Gilligan was acquitted of her murder….
You should replace the word bravery in your comment with stupidity!
You’re a little cretin deco aren’t ya. An inbred, uneducated lay about waster.
The offy is open soon, so you can go get your Dutch gold and guess who your father may be.
Deco you really are a despicable troll!
Yeah, course you are. ;)
Would that be top deco or bottom deco.
Deco, are you going to butlins? Is it still open?
I want to listen to him. If the papers got an interview with him they would sell some amount of paper’s. A lot more than a normal day. Why you ask? Well because gangster’s are much more interesting than normal people. Just look at love hate viewing polls to prove that.
The problem is Gerry, the journalists will be falling over themselves to talk to this dirty lowbred scruge on society. Anything to get a few clicks on their article or to sell a few copies of their paper. The examples are everywhere – the journal’s lazy populist terminology ridden reporting on issues comes immediately to mind. The Sunday World and TV3 will be wetting themselves, they have probably already started saving for a few million to pay him.
It’s in the pipe Deco I’m smoking it & it tastes like lies!
Are you coming out today deco? Think your in love with him!
who cares deco
He will make his money from writing a book and film rights, the state should put in some release clause to take proceeds of any money’s from books interviews etc to cover the states cost covering this case!
Preferably writing back behind bars (steel). Cannot believe he is getting out so soon. Rather than state costs, all proceeds to go to ‘drug rehabilitation centers’.
He’s out, already!
Well lets hope true will yet be served,
Wouldnt all his hidden money be in punts as the euro didnt come in til 2002.He’ll be in the central bank next week “hi I would like to change this to euros” “ah Mr Gilligan we’ve been expecting you”
Crime boss in the US would get life without parole, A major CB in this country you serve 12yrs for serious crime and your released!!! What absolute joke
How does he even get early release after being caught with all sorts of contraband in jail over the years, I’m sure he has plenty of hidden money to go back living the way he did before going to prison!!
We should be grateful to Gilligan for one thing. He was one of the reasons C.A.B. was set up. I am sure there are a more than a few criminals that would like to take the time to personally thank him for C.A.B.
Lock up your factory
And you must wish you were one of his gillys deco, just because he was acquitted doesn’t mean he didn’t organise and order her murder everyone knows that
Whilst I have no time for the likes as Gilligan I do believe that there are criminals just as big as him with the letters TD after their names. Some by their own deeds and others by association.
Oh Jesus. Not here please.
The problem with this state and western society as a whole is that: Prisons are NOT PROFITABLE.
So?What happens?Guys get out early,rapists,dealers,drug barons and murderers,because prisons are overcrowded and not profitable,ie an EXPENSE ON THE STATE.
So what should happen?We should have them working for nothing,no money,no dole,they have to work for their food and keep,thats the way prisons should be set up,that way we won’t have to worry about the prison fund.
And then we will have no problem detaining a guy in prison for the full term of his sentence.
I hear he’s making a cameo appearance in ‘Love/Hate’
As a garda apparently
He has to answer to some people that have not got incarceration in mind.I would imagine it is a case of dead man walking.I do not agree with it,though I will honestly not shed any tears for the man.You reap what you sow.
Who cares who wants to hear what the fat little pr**k has to say it should be a crime to pay criminals for an interview any paper or media that pays this sc*mbag for an interview is just as bad as him
John Gilligan wont last a month on the outside.Because of him and his actions alot of criminals have lost huge amounts of their ill gotten gains to CAB..Their must be a lot of crime bosses counting the clock down till next Tuesday.You live by the sword ,you will eventally die by the sword,not a single fcuk will be given if this does happen….
What could he say that would interest me in the slightest ?
He should pay somebody €1m to listen to him….
So clearly he has forgotten about the two part interview he did with hotpress a few years back?
What has that got to do with anything?? Did you n
… not read the story?? His solicitor said he’s not giving any interviews when he GETS OUT!!
How hard us that to understand?
I just think it’s a bit rich outright stating that you won’t give interviews to the press when he was perfectly happy to slap his smug face over hotpress in 2008?
it is very disturbing that the Irish justice system see it as fit to release this man. He will continue his business but will be harder to catch this time. It is also said that he continued running his business from inside and may have ordered some “hits”.
That said, there is “Street Justice” that may very well catch up with him by others who want his empire. He has a lot to look forward to, but even more to fear.
Whats the bets some young lad trying to make a name for himself will try and clip Irelands most famous criminal…
12 years is ridiculous.
He’s a has been, leave him alone and he’ll wish people were throwing money at him.
He should be locked inside forever
Once again the Irish Justice System shows itself to be in the corner of the criminal and not Irish society. Due Process me h#le!
@shy why 20 years for conspiring to import cannabis
Any lowlife tabloid that offers this piece of dog sh#t any money should be jailed for 12 years
From UCC Drug Awareness and Reform Society (facebook.com/uccdar)
”
Crime boss John Gilligan, guilty of importing huge quantities of low quality, highly contaminated “soap bar” hash into Ireland and the found guilty of being the leader of the gang responsible for the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin is set to be released this week. This raises some important questions; How has prisoning high profile criminals impacted on the drug trade in Ireland? Has Gilligan learnt his lesson? How effective has his sentence been in deterring new criminals? How effective has the prison system been in stopping the networking of criminals behind bars? Are our current drug policies and prison system adequate to protect Irish citizens? Or has Gilligan learnt to be more careful in illegal activities from his time behind bars and influenced others to join their enterprise? These are some of the issues we discuss at UCC DAR in hope of creating future more proactive drug policies.”
Thats bollox he would 4 a million
It’s been said below, but needs to be reiterated: Sentence was given for cannabis- related charges, and was completely out of proportion to what is normally given (for right or wrong) No charges with relation to the death of Veronica Guerin ever proven. The witnesses in the Guerin case seem to have been heavily implicated themselves, and had a large interest in plea-bargains.
Or is this country going to go by trial by media, led by that self-aggrandising Paul Williams? If his info or stories were in any way hard-hitting, he’d have been shot first…
Yes George people r taking the film the indo and Paul Williams as fact. The charge was conspiring to import cannabis red thumbs don’t change the facts
He was only convicted of selling hash initially. Lorry load admittedly but still only hash.
He was never convicted of anything to do with Veronica Guerin’s death.
Who cares whether or not that excuse for a man gives an interview. Can’t imagine it being to exciting anyway. He has spent 12 years in prison. I for one ain’t to interested on his opinions, views or lies. He should not flatter himself that people actually care.
I can’t believe he is out already. 1 million is nothing to him. Crime does pay apparently
Hopefully nobody will ask the little smurf
WHY is Mr Gilligan being released? This criminal is still very much a threat to society. The Justice Department is failing the public if Mr Gilligan is allowed to go free.
The Justice System is failing ?,,,,,when in the name of jaysus did it ever pass
This little rat is clearly sending a message to someone to ensure his personal safety! I wonder how long it will take before someone in the underworld takes a shot at him!?
You have nothing to say that anyone wants to hear.
Go away and die somewhere, preferably screaming in agony, alone and despised by those you love.
Hopefully a few lads with balaclavas will be there to meet him when he walks out
Lorry loads of hash are illegal,,,,,,there has to be more to his crimes than “just hash” for him to have been detained in Portlaoise Prison !!
He is going to get hounded by the media wherever he goes. It will take the heat off larry murphy
Who in their right mind would want to buy a paper or listen to a program that this man would make financial gain from? I hope if he ever does an interview that people will boycott anything he may have to say. I will never understand the criminal system in this country. There are people in prison for not paying small fines & this dangerous individual will be back ruling his patch again next week with no regard for any law in the land. It is disgraceful.
Most of the time the Guards don’t even lock the gates. I worked in the prisons for a few years and was amazed by the lack of security and the living standards, from poor in the Joy (no toilets ) to luxury in Shelton Abbey ( really nice grounds and beautiful gardens even has a small pitch and putt course out front ) and the complete joke that were the prison Guards. In Cork prison the only time I seen the Guards move with any purpose was feeding time. The Majority of the Guards in Cork were overweight with quite a large proportion of them being Morbidly obese (another compensation case waiting to happen just like the deaf soldiers). I was involved in the refurb of the segregation wing out the Back of Portlaoise. Which the guards told us was for John Gilligan as he had to be removed from general population as the life had been threathened. Much higher cost of locating him there than the standard prison. A fortune is spent bringing the prisoners to Dublin to Stand trial by armed escort. Why not create a court in one of the buildings in portlaoise and save millions in taxpayers money over the years.
Don’t pay your bin charges/water charges/property tax/ tv license/ anything else tax, got to jail for however long, serve ALL your time, get out go home.
Make millions illegally, intimidate people, thumb your nose at established society, go to jail, serve some of your time while still “running your business” get out early.
I suppose he’s o different than Sean Fitzpatrick or any of the rest of them though. The more brazenly and bigger you scr3w us, the more we admire you for it.
How long before he gets whacked?
Let’s hope that when the journalist knocks on his door with their cheque they wear protective head gear!!
have your say