Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 21411Murder · Co. Dublin · 4 Dec 2012

Spotter in Eamon Kelly murder appeals conviction

Eamon Kelly, 65, was shot four times in the back by a gunman as he walked towards his home on Furry Park Road, Killester, Dublin 5, on 4 December 2012. In 2015 the Special Criminal Court jailed Sean Connolly, a man, for life over the same murder. On 15 November 2021 the Special Criminal Court convicted Darren Murphy, 52, of Kelly's murder as a spotter for the gang, and in January 2022 it imposed a life sentence. The Court of Appeal dismissed Murphy's appeal on 19 December 2023, and the Supreme Court refused leave to appeal further on 7 May 2024, which is the latest development.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court21 Apr
  5. Convicted7 May
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Eamon Kelly, 65, was shot four times in the back by a gunman as he walked towards his home.
  • Darren Murphy, 52, was convicted of Kelly's murder for his role as a spotter for the gang.
Where
The shooting took place at Furry Park Road, Killester, Dublin 5.
When
The murder occurred on 4 December 2012.
Investigation
  • CCTV footage showed gang members scouting in Killester in the afternoons before and on the day of the murder.
  • Seven gardaí said in 2018, about five and a half years after the murder, that they recognised Murphy from Temple Street CCTV footage, while another twenty-five gardaí shown the footage did not identify him; the man identified was walking a distinct dog there on the date of the murder.
  • The defence argued the case against Murphy rested on garda visual identification from CCTV footage and that the identification process was flawed, raising a garda witness credibility issue.
Charges
Murphy was charged with possessing a Glock pistol with intent to endanger life, and the court found him not guilty of that charge due to insufficient evidence.
In court
  • Murphy's trial took place in the Special Criminal Court in June and July 2021, and he had denied the murder charge.
  • The Special Criminal Court delivered its judgment on 15 November 2021, finding Murphy guilty of Kelly's murder.
  • Murphy's appeal against his murder conviction was reported in the Court of Appeal on 21 April 2023, where judgment was reserved.
  • The Court of Appeal dismissed Murphy's appeal, with the order dated 19 December 2023.
  • The Supreme Court declined leave to appeal from the Court of Appeal on 7 May 2024.
Sentence
  • In January 2022 the Special Criminal Court imposed a life sentence on Murphy.
  • In 2015 the Special Criminal Court jailed Sean Connolly for life for Kelly's murder.
23 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatEamon Kelly was shot four times in the back by a gunman as he walked towards his home. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMurphy was sentenced for his role as a spotter in murdering Kelly. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDarren Murphy was convicted of the murder of Eamon Kelly. (courts.ie)
  • whereThe murder took place at Furry Park Road, Killester, Dublin 5. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe man identified from CCTV was walking a distinct dog at Temple Street on the date of the murder. (courts.ie)
  • whenThe murder occurred on 4 December 2012. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationCCTV footage showed gang members scouting in Killester in the afternoons before and on the day of the murder. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe defence argued the case against Murphy rested on visual identification by gardaí from CCTV footage. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationSeven gardaí said they recognised the accused from the Temple Street footage. (courts.ie)
  • investigationAnother twenty-five gardaí who were shown the footage did not identify the accused. (courts.ie)
  • investigationThe identifications were made in 2018, about five and a half years after the murder. (courts.ie)
  • investigationA poll of 32 gardaí was invited to view the footage to see if they could identify the person on it. (courts.ie)
  • chargeThe court found Darren Murphy not guilty of possessing a Glock pistol with intent to endanger life. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtIn November 2021 the Special Criminal Court found Darren Murphy guilty of Kelly's murder. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe appeal was heard at the Court of Appeal on a Friday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe court said it would reserve its judgment in the matter. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial took place in the Special Criminal Court in June and July 2021. (courts.ie)
  • courtThe Special Criminal Court delivered its judgment on 15 November 2021. (courts.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. (courts.ie)
  • courtThe Supreme Court declined leave to appeal from the Court of Appeal. (courts.ie)
  • sentenceIn January 2022 the court imposed a life sentence on Murphy. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceIn 2015 Sean Connolly was jailed for life by the Special Criminal Court for Kelly's murder. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMurphy is appealing his murder conviction, arguing the CCTV identification process was flawed. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 7 May2024
    ConvictedCourts Service judgment, follow-up
    [2024] IESCDET 55 Supreme Court: The People at the suit of the Director of Public Prosecutions -v- Darren Murphy

    This is a Supreme Court determination refusing leave to appeal. It sets out the grounds argued on appeal, including the garda recognition evidence from Temple Street CCTV footage and the credibility of the identifying gardaí, and records the earlier Special Criminal Court and Court of Appeal rulings.

    convicted, Darren Murphy, named, irish (judged from name)Darren Murphyvictim, Eamon Kelly, irish (judged from name)Eamon Kelly
  2. 21 Apr2023
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    ‘Spotter’ in gang that murdered criminal Eamon Kelly appeals conviction

    Reports the Court of Appeal hearing of Darren Murphy's appeal against his murder conviction, including the defence arguments about the CCTV identification process and the Garda witnesses, the prosecution response, and that judgment was reserved. Also reports Murphy's life sentence and that Sean Connolly was jailed for the same murder in 2015.

    victim, Eamon Kelly, 65, male, irish (judged from name)Eamon Kellyconvicted, Darren Murphy, 52, male, named, irish (judged from name)Darren Murphyconvicted, Sean Connolly, 35, named, irish (judged from name)Sean Connolly