Fair play to the IT to not call him 'Mr. McDonnell' and try to minimize what he did, unlike the Independent who seem to come up with all kinds of headlines distracting from the severity of his crimes.
Says it all really about the type of deluded and in denial, egocentric person he was!
I remember hearing those rumours around Sept/Oct 2023, and a lot of names mentioned of people I knew who were 'friends' etc of his. I know someone who met him one day at something & they don't know him too well, but one of the first things he said to them was, 'I suppose you heard the rumours, they're not true obviously'……🤔
I also remember the gardai saying around the time of his arrest that there would be a lot more people named who were involved etc. No one else bar Leen was mentioned. A lot of the same people who were rumoured at the time were scrambling to say they had no involvement and his horse syndicate 'distanced' themselves!
Irish Times article says that Nathan made a complaint to Tralee Garda Station about WhatsApp messages linking him and others to drugs in 2023.
https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2025/03/08/nathan-mcdonnell-complained-to-gardai-about-crime-link-rumours-in-months-before-32m-drug-haul/
As soon as it was serviced he phoned to get it out and free up space.
It's too far away for a coffee shop. Bothar bean failed quickly
It's not an appealing spot for a new bike shop. He made a go of it alright, but the premises is far too small. There were bikes piled on top of each other.
the perfect spot for maybe a coffee shop, or a vape shop……. or no maybe mobile phone cases!!!!
He told me he's off to enjoy himself on his old-timer car collection.
I've had my road bike serviced with him over the years. He'll be hard to replace.
I'd assume he will sell it off to other bike shops like his, he was more into the racing bikes side of things. I didn't see a sale or anything like a stock clearance before he closed up. He was a lovely man to deal with.
That will be a loss. Wonder what happened all his stock
Podcast FYI: https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-indo-daily/the-indo-daily-breaking-ballyseedy-the-downfall-of-nathan-mcdonnell/a1750514387.html
That was know by a lot of people at the time. I think the Kerryseye aslo asked about it.
O'Halloran's bikes in Boherbee has closed for retirement. Caballs bikes will be busier now!
There is an excellent two-part series on this in the Independent Daily podcast. One added nugget of information is that Radio Kerry had heard persistent rumors of Nathan's involvement in drugs going back to 2023 and the rumors were so persistent that they asked the Guards about it who replied there was nothing in it. This is prior to the machine delivered to Ballyseedy. Implication being that this was far from Nathan's first rodeo. Maybe not on the scale for what he was nabbed for but it gives a context to how he was mixed up with James Leen to begin with.
I remember a very dilapidated terrace of two storey houses adjoining that demolished house that were also demolished sometime in the 80s too.
Wasn't there a tool hire business based there... whether they used that house there,I don't know as I never did business there...but always remembered a big sign there for their business.
Just going back a bit, as I'm not on boards too much - but that derelict house in Ballymullen, I believe that was the (British) officers house way way back - I'm mid 40's and never remember the house being used. It's been derelict for a long time.
I don't think this should be discussed on a forum. There is plenty information on radio kerry website.
Has anyone heard what happened with the accident at blennerville?
New signage for "Asia Supermarket " and bubble tea cafe opening where Eurogiant was in The Square and "The Market" cafe/deli by Terra also getting ready to open in Yummys further up as I was passing by tonight. 2 less empty units in the area!
Leen is pleading not guilty, so that will be going to trial, no idea when that will be though?
I imagine the mitigation was that he told the cops everything he knew. As this week showed, he's not safe in prison. It's going to be a tough few years watching his back.
Unlikely to get remission for the charges involved according to someone I know whose family are Gardai
The Judges started at 21 years and gave him 9 years mitigation! 😲
It appears the sheer scale of the shipment was a big factor in sentencing.
If all went to plan...it probably would be a continuous partnership between Nathan and sinola/leen as a cash crop.
Irish Independent article says the business is to be sold off to pay debts.
12 less 25pc remission and a year already done is 8 years to go. 2033 release date. WTF is Leen going to get with his record on top of it!! I thought Nathan would get 10 reduced to 6 on mitigation (early guilty plea, no record). But this is twice it. I was thinking 20 for Leen with no mitigation. Might upgrade that to 25. The Judges threw the book at Nathan. I think his nonsense claim of not knowing it was drugs involved infuriated them, taking them and everyone else for fools.
Concurrent
He seems to have gotten some beating in there.
Life for the next few years certainly won't be a bed of roses.… (Forgive me the double pun)
"McDonnell was assaulted in Portlaoise Prison earlier this week and has undergone surgery where screws, wires and two plates have been inserted into his jaw"
https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2025/0228/1499427-nathan-mcdonnell/
Were the people of Tralee surprised by Nathan?
