Irish gangster who is suspected of being behind an attempted hit in Clondalkin is hiding out in Portugal.

Irish gangster who is suspected of being behind an attempted hit in Clondalkin is hiding out in Portugal.

The major west Dublin drug trafficker is directing his criminal activities from a villa on the outskirts of Lisbon, the Herald understands.

He is suspected of having ordered the hit on the Corbally brothers' associate Robert Ryle (30), who was shot five times as he got out of his car on Sunday afternoon.

bounty

He has been engaged in a bitter gang war with associates of the murdered Corbally brothers since a mass brawl in September 2009, which resulted in the death of British criminal Jason Martin.

The criminal, who is in his mid-30s, has convictions for assault, larceny, dangerous driving and criminal damage, but has managed to avoid any drugs convictions despite his activities. He previously left Ireland in 1998 to avoid being targeted by the Criminal Assets Bureau and set up in Portugal.

The gangster has returned to Portugal in recent weeks after a €100k bounty was placed on his head by associates of Paul (35) and Kenneth Corbally (32).

"He has returned to his hideaway in Portugal but is still heavily involved in what's going on in Dublin's criminal underworld," a source told the Herald. Robert Ryle continues to battle for his life following the shooting incident at Foxdene Park in Clondalkin. He remains in a critical condition in the intensive care unit at Tallaght Hospital after undergoing emergency surgery on Sunday evening.

Mr Ryle was hit five times in the chest after he emerged from his car to clear a bicycle which was blocking a driveway.

wriggle

Despite this injuries he was able to speak to paramedics at the scene. The lone gunman emerged from the darkness and began to fire, but he was pinned against a wall by a woman from the car who had jumped into the driver's seat.

He managed to wriggle free but gardai believe that he may have been significantly hurt in the incident. Gardai are keeping an eye on the city's hospitals in case the gunman goes to one of them for medical treatment.