Seán Quinn: Ex-billionaire claims to know arsonists who targeted former business

Fiachra Gallagher

Former billionaire Seán Quinn has claimed that he knows the identity of arsonists who targeted a Co Fermanagh power station he formerly owned.

As per a report in The Sunday Times, Mr Quinn (74) has named a former associate as being responsible for the attack on the power station in November 2012.

The station was burnt down following the attack. Security services continue to investigate the incident, along with a string of other attacks on former Quinn businesses.

Mr Quinn himself vehemently denies any involvement with the attacks. He reasoned that it would have been impossible for him to arrange the November 2012 attack, given he was in prison at the time.

He suggested that the late Cyril McGuinness — who was a person of interests in the investigation — was not involved in the attack, pointing out that the paramilitary figure known as 'Dublin Jimmy' was serving a prison sentence in Belgium at the time.

Mr Quinn also criticised RTÉ's Quinn Country documentary which aired earlier this week.

Meanwhile, in an interview with the Sunday World, Ballyconnell parish priest Fr Oliver O'Reilly has revealed that Mr Quinn called to his house following comments he made in a sermon regarding the vicious assault of Mannok director and former Quinn associate Kevin Lunney in 2019.

The priest told the newspaper that Mr Quinn berated him: the former billionaire felt Fr O'Reilly had insinuated that he was involved in the attack. Mr Quinn denies any involvement in the abduction and assault of Mr Lunney.

In a frightening development, Fr O'Reilly was told by a "concerned party" that his car would probably be burnt out in retribution for his comments.

Fr O'Reilly also said that he believed the 'paymaster' behind the Kevin Lunney attack is still at large, and needs to be brought to justice.

"There is still a lot of tension in the community," he told the newspaper.