Overview
- Prosecutors told the Special Criminal Court that Sean McGovern controlled a GPS tracker on Noel Kirwan’s car and directed gunmen waiting at Kirwan’s home in Clondalkin.
- McGovern has pleaded guilty to two counts of directing a criminal organisation, covering the lead‑up to Kirwan’s murder and the targeting of rival James Gately, which did not result in a shooting.
- Investigators said McGovern oversaw and directed the killing, while his counsel argued he only passed on surveillance and was not involved in planning or sourcing weapons.
- Judges set June 8 for the next stage of sentencing and noted each conviction carries a maximum life term that could run one after the other.
- Mitigation included an apology and character references describing McGovern as a devoted father, alongside a bid for extra credit for his early plea and time in tougher custody abroad, in a case rooted in a feud that used trackers and encrypted phones and was partly exposed when an Estonian hitman was arrested.