Funeral of James Byrne, father of Kinahan cartel gangsters Liam and David Byrne takes place

A veteran criminal, James Byrne passed away in hospital last Saturday after a long illness.

The Crumlin man’s funeral was held at St Catherine’s Church on Meath Street earlier today, followed by burial in Mount Jerome Cemetery.

Among the chief mourners today was Mrs Byrne, and his grandson Lee – son of Liam Byrne, who is currently in prison in the UK as he awaits trial on firearm charges.

The 77-year-old had been involved in organised crime for most of his life and had close ties to some of Ireland’s most infamous gangland figures.

His son, Liam, and his son-in-law, Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh, have been named as the leaders of the Byrne Organised Crime Group, described as the Irish wing of the Kinahan Cartel.

Mr Byrne’s other son, David, was shot dead in the Regency Hotel in 2016 as part of the Hutch-Kinahan feud.

Mr Byrne’s funeral notice said that James dies “peacefully, surrounded by his loving family in the kind care of the staff of Tallaght University Hospital;…