Appeal by Anthony Kelly sees Limerick pub, The Spotted Dog, row return to court

A LIMERICK man, who used a former Scotland Yard listed “most wanted” killer as a witness in a failed objection to a publican renewing his pub licence has lost an appeal against the original judgement in the case.

Last February, Anthony Kelly, aged in his 60s, Southill, Limerick, failed in his objection to Eamonn O’Rahilly renewing his licence to operate The Spotted Dog pub, after Mr O’Rahilly barred Mr Kelly, and convicted killer Kenneth Dundon.

At Limerick Circuit Court, Judge Colin Daly dismissed the appeal by Mr Kelly, represented by barrister Antoinette Simon; affirmed the original judgement of Judge Patricia Harney at Limerick District Court last February, with no order for costs.

Mr Dundon, the father of notorious brothers Wayne Dundon, John Dundon and Dessie Dundon, appeared as a witness for Mr Kelly, at the original hearing.

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That court heard that Mr Dundon, aged in 60s, was previously jailed for six years after he was convicted of the manslaughter of a man, whom it was heard, “drowned in his own blood” after Dundon stabbed him a number of times.

The court heard that, on April 15, 2024, Mr Kelly was playing a card game in The Spotted Dog when Mr Dundon, of his own volition, entered the pub, ordered a drink, and went and sat with Mr Kelly’s friends.

The two men bought drinks, and eventually left the pub together without any issue arising at the premises, the court heard.

However, a barman, who had been on duty on the night, gave evidence the atmosphere in the pub suddenly “changed” when Mr Dundon walked into the premises.

The barman said that, knowing the “history” of the notorious Dundon crime family, he telephoned Mr O’Rahilly to let him know he was “fearful” due to Mr Dundon’s presence in the pub.

In his evidence to the court, Mr O’Rahilly said he was “aware of Mr Dundon and his reputation”.

Mr O’Rahilly said he told the barman “assistance was on the way” and that he would get to the pub “as soon as I could”.

However, Mr Kelly and Mr Dundon had left the pub moments before Mr O’Rahilly arrived at his premises on the night.

Mr O’Rahilly said that when Mr Kelly arrived at the pub the following day, he told him he “wasn’t happy with Dundon” being in his pub.

Mr O’Rahilly said he reminded Mr Kelly that Mr Dundon “was a member of a family that was troublesome, and that his presence at the bar had made customers and staff concerned and nervous”.

“I was not happy to run the pub under such conditions which would exist if Dundon kept coming in,” Mr O’Rahilly said.

Mr O’Rahilly told the court that, he replied “yes”, after Mr Kelly asked him if he was also barred.

On April 17, Mr Kelly and Mr Dundon - who were both barred at this stage - returned to the pub.

Mr O’Rahilly told the court: “I felt they were trying to compel me to serve them and their associates with a view to trying to run the pub from outside the counter”.

Mr O’Rahilly said he felt he “would lose control” of the pub if he allowed Mr Dundon and Mr Kelly back as customers.

“Mr Kelly was trying to coerce me into a situation by showing me who his friends were, who he was associated with, and telling me I would be alright because he would keep an eye on things,” Mr O’Rahilly claimed.

Mr Kelly and Mr Dundon each told the court they were surprised when they found out they were not welcome at the pub as there had been no trouble on the night they were both in the pub.

They also both denied making any threats or trying to intimidate Mr O’Rahilly.

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Mr Kelly told the court he returned to the pub with Mr Dundon to try to “resolve” matters with Mr O’Rahilly and he described his ban from the pub as “unfair” and “prejudiced”.

Cross-examining Mr Dundon in court, Mr O’Rahilly’s barrister, Thomas Wallace-O’Donnell, put it to the witness that he was “a member of a profoundly infamous family...the father of the Dundon family, the Godfather, the paterfamilias of the family”.

Mr Dundon replied: “I’m a pensioner, I’m no Godfather of nothing”.