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Kinahans Downfall

The Irish Sun

*** Following the sentencing of Cartel lieutenant Sean McGovern to 24 years in jail, the family of Noel Kirwan speak exclusively to the Kinahans Downfall podcast. Two brand new episodes are released on June 9th and June 11th ***

In February 2016, a hit-team of 6 men burst through the doors of a boxing weigh-in at Dublin's Regency Hotel. There, a Kinahan Cartel lieutenant named David Byrne, was shot point blank in the head. The attack took place in front of a room packed full of sportspeople, media and civilians including young children. From that moment on, Irish gangland would never be the same again.

The Kinahan's is a new true crime series from The Irish Sun telling the complete story of Ireland's most feared crime family. The podcast looks at how a middle class man and his two sons from Dublin, became Europes biggest drugs cartel. We also look at what comes next for the cartel, as they continue to evade The FBI, An Garda Síochána, Interpol and a number of other police services globally.

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20 episodes
Avg 43 min
English

Episodes 20

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S2 · E12
June 10 · 48 min
Downfall | 12
As Sean McGovern prepares to spend the best years of his life in prison, this episode reflects on the police work which took him down, and the response of the Kirwan family to his crimes. Reconstructing the encrypted messages which implicated the Cartel thug in the plots to kill Noel Kirwan and James 'Mago' Gately, listeners will hear why no amount of distance could save McGovern from justice. Donna and Kristopher respond to his sentence handed down at the Special Criminal Court this week exclusively for this podcast, and reveal why they hope their dad's murder will in turn bring justice to the other families destroyed by the Kinahans. And what now, for the Cartel leadership? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E11
June 8 · 42 min
They Murdered Our Dad | 11
THE family of Noel Kirwan has never spoken publicly about his life, and his murder at the hands of the Kinahan Cartel. Until now. Donna and Kristopher Kirwan take listeners back to a time before Dublin's north inner city was torn apart by a gang war. When their dad, known as Duck Egg, fought to keep the heroin dealers away. When the community was united, no matter what was thrown at them. Discussing the murder which destroyed their lives, a murder which would have grave implications for the Kinahan OCG, they remember their own fight for survival. And how, incredibly, it only got worse when the Cartel came at their family again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
April 6 · 2 min
New listen: Nobody Heard Them Cry
A Deep Dive investigation into Frank McCann
S2 · E10
February 25 · 23 min
Epilogue: What The Monk did Next | 10
In the last episode of season 2, we look at the unbelievable story of Gerry Hutch, who was cleared in 2023 of the murder of David Byrne and then embarked on an even more unlikely path. Banged up in Lanzarote on money laundering charges, he was freed on bail in 2024 and came home to run as a candidate in Ireland’s general election. Episode 10 hears about one extraordinary weekend when it looked as if the Monk would become an elected TD, told by the woman who beat him to a seat. As CAB comes looking for unpaid taxes, and Spanish authorities prepare to charge him, Gerry Hutch is ready to run for election again in a by-election. How will this story end? If you wish to contact the podcast team, email us at podcasts@the-sun.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E9
February 25 · 50 min
Day of Reckoning | 9
Episode 9 looks at how the Kinahans took over an Irish prison - and what its locked up foot soldiers did next. With vast fortunes on the tables from the Americans, are any Cartel top brass willing to snitch on Daniel? This is the story of how the Kinahans are sailing close to US winds, with President Donald Trump vowing “obliteration” for drugs cartels. Plus, where can they go now, with the world closing in on them, and the Irish authorities ready to push the button on an extradition warrant? We hear how Dubai is cleaning house, booting out mobsters from Italy, Ireland, Holland, Turkey and Scotland. The end is nigh. Plus, where are all those Hutch targets now? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E8
February 18 · 1 hr 3 min
In Pursuit of Justice | 8
This episode we look to Dubai, the case of Tori Towey and the skewed concept of justice there which has seen the Kinahans flourish. This is the story of the Kinahans’ impending downfall, of why even their criminal partners would relish the arrest of Daniel. We go back to the beginning of his boxing foray, and a chat with the man hunting Daniel down for $10million. We look at how the Tyson Fury links killed off his boxing dream - but is Daniel Kinahan still lurking in the shadows? In the case of Daniel's father, we hear of the Dapper Don’s dreams of a life outside of crime as a respectable man, and how his eldest son put a bullet in that. And we look at Europe’s cocaine problem, and how the demand has created opportunities for the Kinahans law enforcement wouldn’t have dreamed of a few years ago. To contact the podcast team, email us at podcasts@the-sun.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E7
February 18 · 37 min
Order Restored | 7
In this episode, we look at the dramatic fall of ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh - the hard man who broke down with a panic attack when UK cops nailed him on drug offences. Back in Ireland, this episode focuses on the final two feud murders in 2018. And we hear of the dramatic secret police mission to spring a relative from jail to ensure one of the funerals was held. One top detective describes the Daniel Kinahan he knows, as we introduce the scene in Ireland now, where the Kinahans have been reduced to drugs wholesalers. If you wish to contact the podcast team, email podcasts@the-sun.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E6
February 11 · 44 min
Friends to Foes | 6
They were once inseparable as they gorged on the proceeds of their criminal empires - the Hutches, Kinahans, Byrnes. But when David Byrne was killed in 2016 at the Regency, Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh came back from the UK to help his Cartel colleagues wage war on the Hutches. In this episode we go back to 2001 when the young Liam and David Byrne were central characters in the brutal Drimnagh/Crumlin feud, a drugs war between former friends which claimed 16 lives. We hear from a former associate of the Byrnes and Kinahans who pours doubt on the levels of their brutality - could it all be a misunderstanding? We see the seeds of a Kinahan/Byrne split as the State takes down the Byrnes and paranoia runs rife - putting the spotlight on the insidious villain James ‘Jaws’ Byrne, the family patriarch who refused to sanction peace. And why Daniel Kinahan could find no place for his old pal Liam Byrne in his new life in Dubai. To contact the Kinahans Downfall team, email podcasts@the-sun.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E5
February 11 · 30 min
The Quartermaster | 5
When an unknown middle aged man was spotted in the Kinahan Cartel uniform at David Byrne's funeral, it wasn’t a case of who’s who - but who’s he? Standing alongside known criminals of the gang, wearing the same black and blue kit, this man, who had been invisible before, was now on the Gardaí's radar. But who was this Mr Nobody? In time, his defiance and stupidity would bring down the Kinahans’ plan to unleash a massacre on the first anniversary of the Regency. And topple the gang’s top man in the UK. This is the story of the Greenogue weapons seizure, and the extraordinary double life of a jobless trucker who lured his wife, brother and lover into his criminal orbit- Mr Nobody, Declan Brady. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E4
February 4 · 45 min
Killing Patsy | 4
Patsy Hutch was also at the very top of the Cartel kill list - but unfortunately for Daniel Kinahan, by the time it came to taking him out all his best men were in prison. We meet the many men hired with the tasks of trying to murder the Monk's brother- addicts, emotionally damaged, mentally unstable men unsuitable for the jobs they were given. Garda tapes take us inside the minds of idiots, hired by Dubai bosses to do the dirtiest of gangland work. To contact the Kinahans Downfall team, email us at podcasts@the-sun.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E3
February 4 · 50 min
Professional Assassin | 3
James ‘Mago’ Gately was a man the Kinahan Cartel desperately wanted - so much so that they went for an overseas hitman to take down the Hutch gang boss. This episode tells the story of Imre Arakas and his one day in Dublin as a free man, unaware that Gardaí were following his every move across the city. The Cartel would go again at Mago, refusing to let him off the hook. And we hear of another botched hit, as Garda wire taps take listeners inside a dopey hit team hired to take out Michael Frazer - a man dubbed ‘Mickey Nine Lives’ after surviving several assassin’s bullets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E2
January 28 · 46 min
Kill or Be Killed | 2
Episode 2 tells the story of hopeless drug addict Michael Carroll and his desperate bids to have his €40,000 Kinahan debt written off. We hear how the criminal pursed innocent targets connected to the Hutch family- the Monk's innocent brother, Johnny Hutch, and family relative through marriage, Eddie Staunton. He took extreme lengths to try and work off his debt. And on the other side, we hear from Robert Cullen, a man who lived a chaotic life even before becoming a violent drug dealer for another criminal gang, not connected to the Kinahans. He explains why a suicide attempt resulted in a brutal ultimatum from criminals to whom he owed €70,000 - was he willing to murder to wipe his slate clean? If you want to contact the podcast team, email podcasts@the-sun.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E1
January 28 · 53 min
The End? | 1
In the three years following US sanctions and a $15million collective bounty on their heads, the Dapper Don and his sons have managed to thrive. Christy Senior, Daniel and Christopher Jr’s wealth has only grown despite being locked out of any legitimate industry. How have they managed it? Episode 1 introduces the Kinahan’s work with terror groups, rogue states and international drugs gangs - just as Donald Trump turns the screw on the Cartels. We take a look at the lives in gilded exile in Dubai, an existence that is anything but peaceful in 2026 as Daniel in particular lives in fear of the law which is ready to pounce. In stark contrast to their transnational successes, we examine how the Irish State began to dismantle the OCG at home from 2016, one failed Hutch hit at a time. Reconstructed Garda tapes deliver a fascinating insight into the work of the Cartel’s Irish sub cells employed to wage war on the Hutch faction from the gang’s Dubai HQ. With contributions from senior detectives, gangsters, FBI, US Treasury, and News Ireland journalists. If you wish to contact the podcast, email us on podcasts@the-sun.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
January 21 · 3 min
Coming next week: Kinahans Downfall
The follow-up to the hit series The Kinahans
S1 · E10
Jun 28, 2023 · 51 min
A Self-fulfilling Prophecy | 10
As The Kinahan’s structures and key members begin to fall in a post-sanctions world, we ask some questions on our series finale… Where on earth are Christy and his two sons? How long can they stay on the run? And what comes next for Irish gangland… The Kinahans is brought to you by The Irish Sun. This series was written and produced by UrbanMedia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E9
Jun 21, 2023 · 1 hr 8 min
Supergrass | 9
The 52 day trial of Gerry “The Monk” Hutch begins in the Special Criminal Court, but not before a huge plot twist happens in the eleventh hour. Jonathan Dowdall turns state, and brings a new Hollywood dimension to the “trial of the century”, as the court hears the in’s and outs of the pair's bugged trip up North. The Kinahans is brought to you by The Irish Sun. This series was written and produced by UrbanMedia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E8
Jun 14, 2023 · 55 min
Hiding In Plain Sight | 8
A European Arrest Aarrant is issued for Gerry Hutch, but he manages to evade authorities completely. Is it possible he has someone working on the inside? Tyson Fury continues his comeback, and the cash keeps stacking up for Daniel and others around him. A Tweet in 2020 highlights his presence in the sport like never before, and brings some unwanted attention to the cartel… The Kinahans is brought to you by The Irish Sun. This series was written and produced by UrbanMedia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E7
Jun 7, 2023 · 54 min
Kin Of The Ring | 7
As the feud begins to trickle out, The Kinahan's establish themselves as a global powerhouse from their new base in the Middle East. Connections are forged with other international drug lords, and a “Super Mafia” is formed. Back closer to home, Jonathan Dowdall's past catches up with him, as he tries to flee Ireland to escape prosecution. The Kinahans is brought to you by The Irish Sun. This series was written and produced by UrbanMedia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E6
May 31, 2023 · 57 min
The Feud | 6
In the wake of The Regency, Gardai are on high alert around the city, as retaliation attacks begin to take place on a near weekly basis. With The Kinahans gone into hiding, their foot soldiers carry out a series of brutal murders on Hutch allies. An underfunded police force struggles to keep on top of the violence, as The Regency’s first arrests take place across the country. The Kinahans is brought to you by The Irish Sun. This series was written and produced by UrbanMedia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E5
May 24, 2023 · 47 min
The Regency | 5
Things escalate between the Hutch and Kinahan gangs after the murder of Gary Hutch. A Lanzarote hit attempt on The Monk sends things to a boiling point. Then the event that changed everything… A boxing weigh-in at The Regency Hotel in Dublin goes south when a hit team storms the building in search of Daniel Kinahan. The Kinahans is brought to you by The Irish Sun. This series was written and produced by UrbanMedia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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