LAST UPDATE | 4 Jan

A MAN IN his 40s, who was left critically injured after a shooting at a busy restaurant in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, on Christmas Eve, has died in hospital.

It is understood the man, Jason Hennessy Snr, was shot in the neck and upper body while having a meal with family and friends in Browne’s Steakhouse.

Gardaí this afternoon confirmed Hennessy Snr was pronounced dead at the Mater Hospital in Dublin today. 

The restaurant, on the Main Street of the Blanchardstown Village, about 650 metres away from the Blanchardstown Garda Station, was busy at the time of the shooting.

The state pathologist will conduct a post-mortem examination Jason Hennessy Snr’s body in the coming days. 

Hennessy, from Corduff in west Dublin, was well known to gardaí and was due to stand trial on money laundering charges.

It is suspected that he was the target of an opposing faction in a long running gangland feud in the broader west Dublin area, which began in 2018.

The feud broke out over a split in an organised crime group involved in the drugs trade.

It is linked to a series of shootings in 2018 in Corduff as well as a machete attack at Finglas Garda Station in 2019.

In the Christmas Eve shooting a second man – the suspected attacker – was killed after he was injured in a struggle after the initial shooting. He has since been named as Tristan Sherry (26).

Earlier today, gardaí investigating the murder of Sherry after the shooting arrested a third person.

An Garda Síochána have now opened a second murder investigation as part of their wider investigation into the event in an incident room in Blanchardstown Garda station led by a Senior Investigating Officer.

A Garda Family Liaison Officer continue to liaise with both families regarding the investigations, a spokesperson said.

Local Gardaí in Blanchardstown are also receiving assistance from the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. 

Gardaí continue to appeal for any witnesses to these incidents or for any persons with video footage to come forward.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station on 01 666 7000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.