I saw Regency Hotel murder and will never forget Daniel Kinahan's expression
It's exactly 10 years since the most audacious killing in the State's history – and I saw the terrifying events unfold before my very eyes.Particular moments from that infamous gangland assault at the Regency Hotel in Dublin on February 5, 2016, remain vivid in my memory, including the expression on Daniel Kinahan's face. More about that in a moment.Here, I recount my personal memories from that terrible afternoon which ignited an all-out conflict between the Hutch and Kinahan gangs, claiming 18 lives altogether.For background, my circumstances were entirely different then. I was pursuing journalism studies at Technology University Dublin and when not attending lectures, I was typically found travelling throughout Ireland reporting on combat sports.On this particular day, I was getting ready for the 'Clash of the Clans' MGM boxing match at the National Stadium in south Dublin.However, while the drama normally occurred within the roped square, on this occasion, the brutality erupted at the previous day's weigh-in. And it proved far more lethal than any of the hundreds of professional bouts I've observed.My role involved interviewing fighters and equipped with my recording device, I reached the Regency on February 5.I found a seat and awaited my two colleagues' arrival, but while doing so, I spotted a gentleman at the bar engaged in lively conversation with other recognised figures from the Irish boxing world. There was absolutely no question that it was Daniel Kinahan.At that point, his substantial involvement in MGM boxing (subsequently rebranded as MTK before ultimately shutting down) was widely known. Nevertheless, his connections to organised crime were well rumoured, and I recall texting my colleagues to mention there were some "dodgy characters" around.What really stood out was how calm and unbothered Kinahan appeared. He seemed larger than life and was chatting away with mates without any apparent concerns.He definitely wasn't lurking in the shadows as he does nowadays.It felt oddly disturbing and it was obvious that this was someone who at that moment felt invincible.Yet, unknown to him, three gunmen wearing counterfeit Garda ERU uniforms, along with two accomplices, one disguised in drag, were en route with firearms to attempt his assassination. And while he would emerge unscathed, not all of his companions were so lucky.In time, my two colleagues turned up, and we settled into our seats in the main function room, where the weigh-in was scheduled to occur.Sharing a photograph on our combat sports Facebook page, I posted: "MGM weigh-ins. Great weekend ahead. Stay posted."None of us could have anticipated the terror that erupted moments afterwards....Attempting to make the journey worthwhile, I requested a brief interview with one of the fighters, Dubliner Stephen Ormond, after he completed his weigh-in. The room was noisy, an Arctic Monkeys track was blaring, and I proposed moving into the hallway outside that connected to the hotel foyer, which was moments away from becoming a crime scene.Starting the recording on my device, we began discussing his bout, and everything was proceeding smoothly until his trainer, Paschal Collins, called out to us. I cannot remember his precise words, but he instructed him in clear terms to terminate the interview immediately.Moments later, he once again urged him to leave.Offering apologies, a bewildered-looking Stephen was quickly ushered away, and I was left to press stop on my recorder, sensing that the short interview had been pointless.About to head back inside, the door to the function room burst open, and a woman, whom I recognised as one of the MGM organisers, yelled at me to flee. I can still remember the terror in her voice, and the panicked expression in her eyes as she spoke.Turning right, towards the hotel entrance, several gunmen wielding what appeared to be AK-47s and wearing counterfeit Garda uniforms emerged. Following others, I sprinted directly past them without a moment to consider, before thunderous gunshots erupted, leaving David Byrne, a senior figure in the Kinahan organisation, collapsed in his own blood beside the reception desk.Another one of Kinahan's trusted associates, Sean McGovern, was also shot that day, but unlike Byrne, he survived. I can still recall the chilling screams of women and children as gunshots rang out, and upon making my way outside, I spotted Paschal leaping over a wall across from the hotel.I followed suit, crouching in a stranger's garden with my thoughts in complete disarray, wondering what on earth had just unfolded.Fearing for my safety, I attempted to remain as silent as possible before eventually returning once the situation had settled.My immediate assumption was a potential terrorist incident, particularly given the sudden appearance of what I believed were armed emergency personnel. Was there an explosive device in the building? Who was being shot at?However, I later discovered the gunmen weren't police officers, and they had arrived in disguise to execute a ruthless gangland assassination.We returned to our gym, all shaken, and the incident swiftly became the nation's biggest news story. The consequences have been extensively documented, and for a clearer picture of the events and the current whereabouts of the main figures a decade later, you can tune into the two-part Shattered Lives special on the Regency 10 years on here.It's remarkable that no innocent bystander perished that day at the Regency, and the sound of those gunshots remains unlike anything I've experienced since. That evening, I traversed the city on foot, heading towards Busáras.Life continued around me as if nothing had happened. But settling into my seat on the coach to journey home following the most terrifying day, I understood it would remain etched in my memory forever.And a decade later, that continues to be true.
