‘That he lived to see 34 was surprising’ – the violent life of Lee McDonnell

Lee McDonnell began what would become a prolific and fearsome career in crime when he was just a teenager. McDonnell’s violent and reckless actions characterised him as a different breed of Irish criminal – one that stood sharply apart from his peers. He was fond of boosting his own notoriety and didn’t seem to fear any reprisal, going so far as to publicly mock the prison system during his many stints behind bars. He even managed a high-profile escape that resulted in a nationwide manhunt. In total, McDonnell built up over 140 convictions and was suspected of numerous other crimes, including two unsolved murders and a recent high-profile stabbing. Last weekend, his lust for chaos came to an end when he died suddenly at the age of 34 after being found unresponsive in a Garda holding cell. On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent news and security correspondent Robin Schiller to profile the life and crimes of the late Lee McDonnell. The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can view our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism

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