[1] The feud began in 2017 when a drug trafficking focused organized crime gang split into two divisions, with one faction led by Richie Carberry along with two brothers aged in their 20s from the Moneymore estate on the north side of town,[2] and the other headed by Irish Travellers Owen Maguire and Cornelius Price.
[7] In November 2022, Robbie Lawlor (who was the brother-in-law of Richie Carberry)[8] was named in court documents submitted by the Criminal Assets Bureau as the gunman who attempted to assassinate Maguire.
[9] Local councillor Kenneth Flood said “In July, after the shooting, gardáí openly said they didn’t have the resources to police the division.
Prosecuting lawyers informed the court that the defendants appeared to have left the jurisdiction and bench warrants would be required to launch any future extradition proceedings against them.
[10] Brendan Maguire, brother of Owen, was shot on 26 February 2019 as he walked out of a toyshop in the M1 retail park during broad daylight.
[14] Local politician Ged Nash criticised Gardaí senior management and the minister for not retaining more probationers.
[27] The presence of flip-flops in the bag of Keane Mulready-Woods remains dumped in Coolock was widely interpreted as a threat not to cross Lawlor.
[30] The mayor said that the protest was against gang feuding and crime that had affected the town for the previous two years, and to ask those responsible for the death of Keane Mulready-Woods to reveal the location of the rest of his remains.
[30] He called for new legislation, new powers, and extra resources for Gardaí,[30] and criticised those involved in taking illicit drugs as they contributed to the problems caused by the gangs.
[30] Louise Mahoney, director of addiction treatment service the Red Door Project, called for more resources and long-term solutions.
[30] A funeral for Keane Mulready-Woods was held on Thursday 13 February 2020 at Holy Family Church, Ballsgrove, Drogheda.
[32][33] Lawlor was originally from Dublin, but had lived in County Meath and was heavily involved in organised crime, including the Drogheda feud.
[32][33] He had been threatened by one faction in the Drogheda feud but was also at odds with a major Dublin criminal who is suspected of several murders including that of Alan Ryan.
[32][33] The shooting was also condemned by Minister for Justice Naomi Long and Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly.
[32][33] In June 2020, Warren Crossan, a dissident Republican who had been arrested after the murder of Robbie Lawlor, was shot dead in the Rodney Drive area of West Belfast.