Joe Duffy claims Dublin mobster John Gilligan hit ‘young bloke’ over head with mallet after argument at pool table

The Ballyfermot presenter was reacting to Virgin Media’s documentary Confessions of a Crime Boss, which is about convicted criminal Gilligan.

“I’ve seen it. I felt like it was my job to look at it. I was impressed that Gilligan blamed his father for everything…everything. ‘Me that, me that’ and the fact that they were one big family,” Joe said.

Joe fumed about how the short-statured criminal “outsmarted” Ballyfermot before telling his own story when he stumbled upon the scene at a local shop of a young man allegedly being hit in the back of the head with a hammer by Gilligan.

“May I tell you a story about John Gilligan? A story he didn’t tell last night and I know almost straight away because I got to the scene a few minutes later and I know it was him who did it.”

‘It’s the gala cinema in Ballyfermot and when it’s not a cinema there are snooker tables, pool tables and slot machines and Gilligan – who incidentally never worked a day in his life – directed Ballier (Ballyfermot).

“He was a little guy, like he said last night. Gilligan made no mention of the implications of his crimes.”

“It’s the Gala Cinema, now pool table and pool hall, Gilligan strutting in, coming across the lane…there was a lane straight through Ballyfermot Road, strutting into the Gala because he walked around like he owned it all, went up the Snooker table I don’t play at but he immediately told whoever was playing snooker to get the fuck off the table – “I want to play his best mate” or whatever.

“Whoever the young bloke was, in fairness to him, he turned it down. He obviously didn’t know who Gilligan was. Gilligan walked back out of the Gala building, across the Ballyfermot Road, through the alley, down to his house, in the back of the house and got a hammer.

“By the way, it’s broad daylight. Gilligan walked out of his house, down Lough Conn Road, through the lane, across the main street and into the gala.”

“The guy who defied him now has his back to Gilligan at the slot machines.

“What’s Gilligan doing? Hit him on the head with a hammer. It takes courage,” raged Joe.

The broadcaster stressed that the criminal never seemed to have shown any remorse for his actions.

“You never got that sense of him last night as he strolled down the boardwalk with his tan and designer beard.

“He never, ever considered hurting people.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: when it comes to violence, I think people know my attitude – I loathe it. I abhor their glorification because people are unaware of the long-term effects.” Violence.

“Bullets never stop traveling. Does anyone ever think that that bullet Gilligan organized for Dutchy Holland to smuggle into Veronica Guerin on that beautiful day in June, anyone think that those bullets stop traveling?” Joe added.