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Lismore Road in Crumlin. Google Street View

Three decades on, 15-year-old Gerard Morgan's murderer has never been punished

The teenager was shot dead at the front door of his family home in 1982.

JUST TWO MONTHS after his 15th birthday, Gerard Morgan from Crumlin in Dublin was gunned down at the front door of his home.

That was on 26 May 1982 and now, three decades on, his family have still never seen his killer brought to justice.

Gerard is remembered by family members as a bubbly, caring and helpful teenager with big hopes for himself in his life.

The night he was killed, he was at his home on Lismore Road in Crumlin with his parents watching television. They went to bed just after midnight and at 1.30am there was a knock at the door.

Gerard went to open it and a gunman shot him twice point blank.

The 15 year old died in his parents’ arms.

It is believed his home was targeted in a row over money from a recent cash van robbery which had gone missing, though the teenager was never involved in the heist.

Gerard’s murderer was hidden by people who knew him and got out of the country shortly after the shooting.

A year later, a man called Patrick Conroy was jailed for helping to provide shelter to the killer. He did not contest the charges and received a seven year sentence for accessory after the fact of murder.

Just last year Conroy, who is a taxi driver in Dublin, was successful in his court application to keep his licence. New legislation dictates taxi drivers with serious criminal convictions can be taken off the road but the judge in Conroy’s case decided he had paid for his crime and noted he had not come to garda attention since his licence was granted 11 years ago.

A source close to the family said the boy’s mother, who is in her mid 80s now, is still hoping the “cowardly, spineless, gutless man who did this to a defenceless child” is caught.

Gardaí say the case is still open and they would appeal to anyone who knows anything to come forward.

The family hope now that time has passed that people who were living in the area who know the killer and have information about the murder would be more willing to go to gardaí.

His father died not knowing why his child was killed and he’d had to hold him in the hall while he was dying.

“How do you deal with it? You just never forget,” they said.

Read: Gavin McCarthy’s murderer has never been brought to justice>

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    Mute Flinders Flynn
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    Nov 19th 2013, 8:53 PM

    Cameron : Howya
    Rouhani: Grand. Yourself?
    Cameron: Not too bad.
    Rouhani: You out tonight?
    Cameron: Nah, work tomorrow.

    ect…..

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    Mute Sean O'Sullivan
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    Nov 19th 2013, 9:04 PM

    I hope Rouhani isnt watching “Homeland”! His deputy security minister is now working for the CIA.

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    Mute werejammin
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    Nov 19th 2013, 8:57 PM

    Tis better to jaw-jaw than war-war. A moderate Iranian leader is a far bigger threat to US/ISraeli domination of the middle east than a hundred imaginary Iranian nukes.

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    Mute Kevin Dobson
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    Nov 19th 2013, 9:08 PM

    Blessed are the cheese makers.

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    Mute Kris O Kay Kay
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    Nov 19th 2013, 9:49 PM

    Really? Considering Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, I would have to completely disagree with you on your assumption. A nuclear armed Islamic radical like Iran is a threat to the world not just Israel or the US…think about it…..in saying that its good they are talking and not staring each other down with threats…

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    Mute werejammin
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    Nov 19th 2013, 10:02 PM

    Iran has not started a war since the 1700s. The two main nations threatening Iran have both started wars, violated the geneva convention and have committed war crimes in the not too distant past.

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    Mute Kris O Kay Kay
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    Nov 19th 2013, 10:17 PM

    Who are the two nations threatening Iran?

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    Mute Derek Durkin
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    Nov 19th 2013, 10:27 PM

    Did that guy say Democracy.

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    Mute Sean Ryan
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    Nov 19th 2013, 10:27 PM

    Israel and it’s army and its greatest property – the politically and financially controlled USA (The IDF is only a domestic security force).

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    Mute Kris O Kay Kay
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    Nov 19th 2013, 10:38 PM

    Derek, please peruse at your leisure…
    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index

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    Mute Sacha Mahady
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    Nov 19th 2013, 8:48 PM

    I called my mammy tonight too.

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    Mute Kevin Dobson
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    Nov 19th 2013, 9:02 PM

    I called your mother too.

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    Mute Howard W.W. Webb
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    Nov 19th 2013, 9:24 PM

    Your ma called me tonight. Twice.

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    Mute Diarmuid O'Braonáin
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    Nov 19th 2013, 10:36 PM

    This is more british propaganda……. Britain supports Israel which has fired rockets and committed murders in Iran and Syria. They have not once retaliated against Israel. Britain and the USA want Iran and Syria to fall…. Same way they destroyed Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya for money and power.

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    Mute W.j.d.
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    Nov 19th 2013, 8:49 PM

    I might call Santa….

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    Mute Leonard Washington
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    Nov 19th 2013, 9:21 PM

    Any chance for a photo op for Cameron.
    Look at him, sitting there, on his phone.

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    Mute Alan Kelly
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    Nov 19th 2013, 9:44 PM

    Called him what?

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    Mute Maggie may
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    Nov 20th 2013, 12:57 AM

    I was about to say same thing

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    Mute Jer Lonergen
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    Nov 19th 2013, 10:05 PM

    Iran is a lost cause and Cameron knows it.

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    Mute Tim Stephen Hendy
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    Nov 20th 2013, 4:36 AM

    Of course he called him that – it’s his name.

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    Mute Tommy Hornblower
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    Nov 19th 2013, 11:13 PM

    Why wud he do such a thing!?

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    Mute Richie Parr
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    Nov 20th 2013, 11:00 AM

    “Just a moment, Mr. Rouhani. I think Nick only gave me one sugar.”

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