Man pleads not guilty to facilitating murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan

Paul Neilan

A man will go on trial at the Special Criminal Court later this week after he pleaded not guilty to helping a crime gang murder Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, an innocent man who had no involvement in criminality.

Mr Kirwan (62) was shot six times as he sat in his car on December 22nd, 2016, at St Ronan's Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.

At the three-judge court on Monday, Michael Crotty pleaded not guilty to facilitating an organisation in Mr Kirwan's murder.

Mr Crotty (41), of Slí Aonghusa, Aras na Rí, Cashel, Co Tipperary, spoke only to answer "not guilty" when the sole charge was read out to him by the registrar.

Mr Crotty is accused that between October 20th, 2016, and December 22nd, 2016, inclusive, within the State and with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation, did participate in, or contribute by activity, or by being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission by a criminal organisation or any of its members of a serious offence, to wit: the murder of Christopher (aka Noel) Kirwan, contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal justice Act.

Mr Crotty's trial, which is scheduled to last up to five weeks, is to begin at the Special Criminal Court on Wednesday.

Last Friday at the same court, Mr Crotty's co-accused – senior Kinahan cartel member Declan Brady, known as 'Mr Nobody' – pleaded guilty to the same charge.

Brady, who is in custody for other offences, pleaded guilty to the single charge against him and will also appear before the court on Wednesday, when a date will be set for his sentencing hearing.

Brady, of St Wolstan's Abbey, Celbridge, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court in July 2019 to supervising a firearms arsenal including an assault rifle and thousands of rounds of ammunition that had been stashed in a Dublin business park.

He was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years in prison, with the final year suspended for that offence.

While in prison in 2021, Brady pleaded guilty to laundering hundreds of thousands in crime cash through multiple bank accounts in 2017.

On Monday, presiding judge Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone, read an alibi warning to Mr Crotty before adjourning the trial to Wednesday.