Larry Dunne (February 1948-18 May 2020) was an Irish organised crime boss and drug dealer. He was held responsible for introducing

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...

into Dublin in the 1970s.

Early life

He was born into a large inner-city Dublin family of 14, grew up in Dolphin's Barn and became involved in petty crime. He was sent to Daingean Reformatory like many of his brothers. His father Christy "Bronco" Dunne Snr. had served eighteen months in Portlaoise Prison for manslaughter in 1939.

Criminal career

He began supplying heroin in Dublin in the late 1970s. He had spent time in England and built up a network of connections with British drug dealers. He organised young "runners" to supply heroin on streets and in flat complexes. Because of this he earned the nickname "Larry doesn't carry". He made so much money that in May 1982 he was able to buy a luxury home in its own grounds in Sandyford at the foot of the

Dublin Mountains The Wicklow Mountains (, archaic: ''Cualu'') form the largest continuous upland area in the Republic of Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into the counties of Dublin, Wexford and Carlow. Wh ...

. Although unemployed he paid £100,000 for it – the equivalent of €1.3 million in 2020 prices. In June 1983 he was brought before the courts on drugs trafficking charges. After a morning testimony against him he absconded. He was found guilty in his absence. While on the run he hid in Crumlin, a house of friends in County Leitrim, spent a few days in a Divine Light Mission commune, then went to the

Costa del Sol The Costa del Sol (literally "Coast of the Sun" or "Sun Coast") is a region in the south of Spain in the autonomous community of Andalusia, comprising the coastal towns and communities along the coastline of the Province of Málaga and the easte ...

followed by Portugal. He was arrested in Portugal, extradited to Ireland and served 10 years of a 14 year sentence. He was convicted in 2004 of dealing for an offence that occurred in 1999. He had more than 40 criminal convictions.

Death

He had been ill with lung cancer for a long time and was rushed to hospital with self-inflicted knife wounds. He died in

St. James's Hospital St. James's Hospital ''Confirms spelling of name as "James's" and Irish name'' ( ga, Ospidéal Naomh Séamas) is a teaching hospital in Dublin, Ireland. Its academic partner is Trinity College Dublin. It is managed by Dublin Midlands Hospital G ...

Early life

Criminal career

Death

References

See also