By: Michael O’Farrell – Investigations Editor
QUINN Industrial Holdings executive Kevin Lunney was told by his vicious kidnappers: ‘We won’t kill you – this time.’Â Â
The bone-chilling threat made on Tuesday night by the perpetrators of the savage attack on Mr Lunney, who is a father of six, makes it clear they have no intention of ending the campaign of terror that has been going on for eight years.
A friend of the Quinn Industrial Holdings executive this week described how broken, bruised and covered in bleach, Mr Lunney was dumped on the roadside in Cornafean, Co. Cavan at dusk, his clothes shorn off and body bloodied from Stanley-knife wounds.
Nearby, as darkness descended, Mr Lunney could just make out the light of a nearby house.
But teetering on the edge of consciousness – with a leg broken in two places below the knee and several pulled-out fingernails – he could not summon the strength to drag himself to safety.
Recalling how Mr Lunney told him of this moment, local priest and family friend Fr Gerry Comiskey, struggled to hold back tears as he told the MoS of the moment Mr Lunney nearly lost all hope.
He said: ‘He told me that as twilight was turning into darkness he could see a light from a house and it was only a very short distance away but because of his almost-unconscious state he didn’t think he would make it.
‘It’s incredible to think what might have happened if another few minutes had turned into the darkness of night,’ Fr Comiskey said.
‘The pain and the anguish that the man had to endure and, of course, the unbelievable fear that he would never see his wife or children again. It’s unspeakable and unimaginable what he had to endure.
‘He amazes me in some respects, given the horrific ordeal that he went through. That he survived is nothing short of miraculous and due to his own inner strength.
He said: ‘He’s a man of deep faith and he’s hugely committed to family values. He loves his wife and six children immensely and he loves his community and he loves his workplace so I think these remarkable qualities that he has deep within him helped him to pull through what was an almost within-an-inch-of-death experience.
‘He was a man that got on with his responsibilities. He didn’t seek the limelight and he didn’t lament too much about the horror that was upon him because of the death threats and the intimidation and all that.’
Mr Lunney also told his friend that his attackers indicated they did not want to kill him – this time.
‘His understanding, from what they said to him, was they didn’t – this time,’ Fr Comiskey said.
Instead, the attackers want to instil further fear into the hearts of their targets – five QIH executives they want to step down from the business.
This threat was first made in a threatening letter received in May which spoke of ‘implementing a permanent solution for at least one’ of the executives if they did not resign – before it was repeated to Mr Lunny this week in person.
But now, frustration is mounting in the area at the perceived failure of the authorities to stem the flow of violence after more than 70 incidents in recent years.
Quinn executives and others have repeatedly appealed to the authorities for help but feel let down by the response.
For example, in 2016 the Danish ambassador and representatives of Danish firm Vestas met with then justice minister Francis Fitzgerald because of threats to its workers at a local wind farm formerly owned by the Quinn group.
The MoS asked Ms Fitzgerald – now an MEP – what action she took on foot of this meeting. We also asked for details of any meetings she may have had with QIH executives.
In response, Mrs Fitzgerald said: ‘Any allegations of this nature – provided to me or the Department – would have been immediately referred by senior management to An Garda SÃochána.’
The MoS also asked the Department of Justice and current Minister Charles Flanagan for details of any actions taken on foot of concerns raised about the intimidation of Quinn workers. We did not receive a response.
Asked about the apparent lack of action by the authorities, Fr Comiskey said: ‘I think these are very pertinent questions but they need to be addressed to political leaders and those who are responsible for law and order in both jurisdictions.
‘We thought that we had closed the door on violence and intimidation and terrorism. We thought that we had fully closed the door on it and it’s just horrifying that there is a small element there that will not relent.’ Those sentiments were echoed by others at Friday’s defiant protest by Quinn workers.
A statement issued on behalf of the workers demanded ‘an end to this reign of terror, to all intimidation and attacks on management and their properties’.
‘We call on local politicians, the PSNI and the Garda to allocate whatever resources are necessary to bring these perpetrators to justice and to bring an end to these brutal attacks so we can feel safe in our place of work and in our local communities,’ the statement continued.
But this defiance only goes so far. Workers are not willing to be named for fear of the consequences. Instead, local representatives speak on their behalf.
Asked if enough had been done by the authorities prior to this week’s attack, Fianna Fáil’s Shane P O’Reilly, Chairman of Cavan County Council, told the MoS: ‘Absolutely not.
Over the last five years there’s been 70 documented incidents. It’s time to call a stop.’ He said: ‘What happened to Kevin was barbaric, reprehensible – there are no words to describe what was done to the man. Twenty years ago this was happening quite often. But I think we’ve come a long way now. I think it’s time now for anyone with any information to come forward.’
Stephen Kelly, CEO of Manufacturing Northern Ireland, also said not enough was being done.
‘I do not believe that enough has been done. There have been no arrests and the activity has been allowed to continue to happen.’ Though he has no jurisdiction in the south, Mr Kelly also said representations had been made to the Irish Government.
‘We do know that we’ve sent messages through to the Irish Government as well that we think they should be doing more.
He added: ‘We have our own connections with the Irish Government and we’ve been asking them that this is given the attention on the other side of the border that it deserves.’Â
A brutless and relentless campaign – Craig Hughes chronicles years of attacks on Quinn executives.
