Peter Quinn’s life on the run

By Michael O’Farrell

Investigations Editor

It’s 7.30 on a Wednesday evening and Peter  Quinn is leaning against the metal railing at the side of the Roslea Shamrocks  GAA pitch in Co. Fermanagh.

One mile – a mere 1609 metres away – to the  south is the border with the Republic where Mr Quinn would be arrested and  imprisoned on sight.

The length of just a dozen GAA pitches is all  that separates him from the clutches of the Irish authorities.

But rather than preparing for another night  in a cell behind the walls of Mountjoy Prison as the courts have ordered him to,  Peter Quinn is amicably chatting to his friends without a care in the  world.

His home team – Teemore – is preparing to  take the field for their opening game in this year’s county championship: having  already been to three club games since going on the run three weeks ago, he was  hardly going to miss this one.

Wearing his trademark glasses, which  unnaturally accentuate his piercing eyes, he chews gum incessantly, occasionally  spitting it out and kicking it away with a pointy pair of brown leather  shoes.

To his left in the team dugout sit several  Teemore substitutes dressed in the team’s green and white hooped kit, and to his  right several young children are passing a ball between themselves.

The scene is little different from that  repeated in countless GAA clubs throughout the country as club sides compete for  the glory of their village – except that in this case many in the crowd are  acutely aware of the presence of Ireland’s newest, and most notorious,  fugitive.

They are also intensely protective of him and  quick to intervene if anyone unwelcome approaches him.

It’s now clear despite the predictions of  many that Peter Quinn has no intention of returning to join his cousin, Seán  Quinn Jr, in prison.

HAVEN: Peter Quinn Jr, who is believed to be living with his parents in  Enniskillen (photo credit – Sean Dwyer)

And despite being a wanted man with a warrant  out for his immediate arrest, he can remain in Northern Ireland – and any other  country bar Ireland – indefinitely unless a criminal charge is brought against  him and extradition is sought.

Embraced and protected by friends, family and  a local GAA network – which has openly and brazenly shunned the authority of the  Irish State – Peter Darragh Quinn can’t be touched.

AMONG FRIENDS: The media have been kept away from the nephew of Seán Sr (Photo Credit – Sean Dwyer)

This week, in an interview with Enniskillen’s  Impartial Reporter newspaper, his father Peter confirmed for the first time that  his son would not be returning to Ireland.

‘Peter is back in Northern Ireland and he’s  not going back… his family will not be attempting to persuade him to go back,’ he said.

Peter Quinn Sr is a former GAA president and  a former member of the Parades Commission of Northern Ireland.

He was also appointed as the chairman of the  board of TG4 by Noel Dempsey and is a non-executive director and investor in the  Belfast Media Group which runs newspapers in Ireland, Northern Ireland and the  US.

Yet despite a long association with political  institutions and the Government in the Republic, Peter Quinn Sr is now openly  challenging the very authority of the Irish Government and courts when it comes  to the affairs of Seán Quinn Sr.

‘There is a conspiracy to make sure he  doesn’t win the case, involving Anglo, the Government including the Department  of Finance and the regulatory body, including the Central Bank.

‘There is systematic and systemic collusion  to make sure Seán Quinn doesn’t win the case and they are succeeding with the  support of the national media, including RTE, BBC and the national  dailies.

‘People aren’t being told the truth, that  Anglo was involved in illegal activity, defrauding investors and overstating  their balance sheet,’ he said.

Absent from the interview is any mention of  the fact that this illegal activity is in fact being pursued by gardaí and that  members of Anglo’s management team have been charged and are facing prosecution.  If convicted, they would also face jail terms.

Meanwhile, Peter Quinn Jr – a man who was  famously caught on tape admitting he was prepared to lie in court – remains at  large despite his role in disseminating assets worth hundreds of millions beyond  the reach of the Irish authorities. ‘He’s very unhappy and under a lot of  pressure, but he can’t stop living his life. ‘

He’s entitled to go to football matches, as  am I, without being photographed,’ Mr Quinn told the Impartial  Reporter.

The photo he refers to was taken during a match at Fermanagh’s Kinawley GAA pitch last week and was first published in the MoS last Sunday

The match was a tense and fearsome clash of  two strong teams – Tempo and Belcoo – but it also aptly demonstrated the battle  lines which have been drawn by the thousands of Quinn supporters in Co.  Fermanagh.

With the ground packed to capacity, every  spectator was greeted at either side of the gate by placards urging everyone to  attend a Ballyconnell rally in support of the family last Sunday.

In the end, thousands would turn up for the  rally, including a number of prominent figures from the religious, political and  sporting worlds.

There are reports that some reporters  covering the protest were threatened and warned as tensions ran high.

Later that day when Peter Quinn attended a  championship double header – Roslea versus Derrygonnelly and Devenish versus  Lisnaskea – at Enniskillen’s Brewster stadium he was greeted warmly by many as  he sat in the stands with friends.

It appears that he was afforded a degree of  protection at this event as there are reports that several photographers from  national newspapers were inexplicably escorted off the ground.

Appearing completely at ease, Mr Quinn  mingled freely with the crowd and chatted with friends. Once again placards  supporting the Quinns advertised last week’s rally of support.

Since failing to appear in court on July 20,  Peter Quinn is believed to have been living with his parents at the family home,  close to Enniskillen town centre.

Parked outside are what’s believed to be his  two cars – a luxury silver Mercedes with a Northern Ireland registration and a  black 04 Audi with a Dublin registration.

Pizza deliveries, friends and family can be  seen coming and going frequently but despite the obvious presence of people  inside no one ever comes to the door to answer knocks or the doorbell.

Half way down a small cul-de-sac, the  home’s  window blinds have been permanently drawn for two weeks now and  neighbours refuse to talk when approached.

For now, Peter’s own home, several miles  away, remains empty. But no doubt he hopes to be able to return once the media  spotlight on his case has faded.

The luxury country property, protected by  electric security gates and an intercom, appears newly built and nestles in a  picturesque hillside on Innismore – an island in the Erne Shannon  waterway.

Deserted: Peter Quinn Jr’s country retreat near  Enniskillen, complete with electronic gate (Photo Credit – Michael Chester)

Nearby dozens of luxury yachts and cruisers  are berthed as tourists relax shoreside in a local hotel while their boats are  refuelled.

The home is also half way between Enniskillen  and the Quinn stronghold of Derrylin – a small two-pub town where Peter is  rumoured to have socialised in recent weeks. A couple of miles south beyond  Derrylin and directly opposite the Northern Ireland entrance to Quinn Cement is  his local Teemore GAA club which last week caused controversy by issuing a  political statement of support in favour of Peter and the Quinns.

Having received at least €474,974 in salaries  from Quinn companies between April 2011 and February this year – and that’s just  the money which is known about – he will have few financial worries in the short  term.

He was also caught on tape discussing secret  cash payments for the sale of Quinn assets, so there may be far greater wealth  secreted offshore or in secret bank accounts.

And for as long as ‘Petey’ stays North of the  border – and protected by his community – it is the taxpayers of the Republic  who will have to foot the bill for his family’s gambles on Anglo Irish Bank,  their stewardship of Quinn Insurance… and their decision to defy the courts  and sell off assets which by law now belong to the Irish people.