A senior figure in the Kinahan organised crime group has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for directing criminal activities linked to the deadly feud between the Kinahan and Hutch gangs.
Sean McGovern, 40, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin after pleading guilty to two counts of directing the activities of a criminal organisation.
The offences related to the lead-up to the murder of Noel Kirwan in December 2016 and the targeting and monitoring of James Gately with the intention of carrying out a shooting that never ultimately took place.
McGovern, who was extradited from the United Arab Emirates to face trial in Ireland, had previously expressed a wish to apologise for the hurt caused by his actions.
Handing down the sentence on Monday, Mr Justice McGrath said the court had established that McGovern was a senior member of the Kinahan organisation and a trusted associate of those at the highest levels of the gang.
The court imposed a 10-year sentence for directing criminal activity relating to the planned murder of Gately and a 14-year sentence for directing activity connected to the murder of Kirwan.
The sentences will run consecutively and have been backdated to McGovern's arrest in Dubai in October 2024.
Mr Justice McGrath described the Kinahan organisation as a “particularly large, well-organised sinister and dangerous organisation” and said McGovern was fully aware of its structure and operations.
He added that McGovern knowingly and intentionally directed preparations for murder in both cases.
Following the sentencing, Detective Superintendent Dave Gallagher said the outcome should serve as a warning to anyone who glorifies organised crime.
He described the sentence as significant in holding accountable a key figure involved in directing a violent criminal organisation responsible for a campaign of murder and intimidation that had damaged communities across Ireland.
Gallagher also paid tribute to the family of Noel Kirwan, describing him as an innocent victim who was killed simply to demonstrate power within the criminal underworld.
Outside court, Kirwan's son Kristopher Kirwan delivered an emotional statement reflecting on the decade-long fight for justice following his father's murder.
"Today marks the end of a long and painful journey for me and my sister. The past 10 years of sitting in court rooms and listening to evidence about the brutal murder of our father. Nothing can ever bring him back and no verdict can ever undo the loss and trauma we have suffered."
He thanked Gardaí, Dublin Fire Brigade, witnesses and those involved in securing McGovern's return to Ireland to stand trial.
Kristopher described his father as a hardworking family man who worked two jobs to support his children and was deeply involved in community work.
"Our dad was our safety net. A hardworking family man who spent our whole lives working two jobs so we would never go without. He was all we had. Our home and his arms was always open to anyone who needed help."
He said his father had played a major role in anti-drug campaigns in Dublin's north inner city during the 1990s and had dedicated his life to helping others.
Kristopher also spoke directly about McGovern's role in the events leading up to the murder.
"It's heartbreaking to think that man who has two children of his own, a man who himself survived being shot in the Regency Hotel, could go and inflict such pain and torment on any other family."
"He watched and tracked our dad for nine long months, with countless chances to walk away, to change his mind and just chose a different path. But he didn’t."
In one of the most powerful moments of his statement, he asked:
"Was it really worth it Sean?"
Kristopher recalled having to identify his father's body in a morgue during Christmas 2016 while other families celebrated the festive season.
"The Christmas of 2016 we had to stand in a bitterly cold morgue and identify our dad. While families were at home celebrating and out buying presents for their children, Sean McGovern was planning the murder of my Dad - a 62 year old innocent man."
He concluded by reflecting on the lasting impact the killing has had on his family.
"One day Sean McGovern will be released and get to spend the rest of his days with his family while we’ll be out here surviving in a world we never wanted to be a part of."
