In April of 1986, three armed men burst into a lavish home in Howth. When they left, they brought with them Jennifer Guinness, mother of three and wife of the head of a merchant bank. A ransom was demanded for her return.
Despite the quick mobilisation of gardai all over Dublin, Jennifer’s captor would evade capture for over a week.
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Theme Music:
Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Additional Music: Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Sources:
Sean Flynn, “Gardai await contact with kidnap gang” in The Irish Times (11 April 1986) p. 1, 6.
Sean Flynn, “Kidnappers at Howth home for two hours” in The Irish Times (11 April 1986) p. 1, 6.
“Guinness family have kept an open door for friends” in The Irish Times (11 April 1986) p. 1.
Sean Flynn, “News blacked out to protect victim” in The Irish Times (11 April 1986) p. 6.
John Stanley, “Guinness role in bank ‘that of figurehead’” in The Irish Times (11 April 1986) p. 6.
Sean Flynn, “Descriptions of suspects issued” in The Irish Times (11 April 1986) p. 6.
Sean Flynn, “Family calls in British security firm on kidnap” in The Irish Times (12 April 1986) p. 1, 5.
Sean Flynn, “Guinness family may make reward offer” in The Irish Times (14 April 1986) p. 1, 9.“Man being questioned” in The Irish Times (14 April 1986) p. 1.
“Dublin churches join in prayers for kidnap woman” in The Irish Times (14 April 1986) p. 9.
Sean Flynn, “Gardai deny any contact made with kidnappers” in The Irish Times (14 April 1986) p. 1.
“Man held over Howth gun inquiry, court told” in The Irish Times (15 April 1986) p. 10
Sean Flynn, “Victim held by gunmen in siege at Ballsbridge” in The Irish Times (16 April 1986) p. 1, 9.
“Luxury home was ‘hide-out’” in The Irish Times (16 April 1986) p. 1.
“Family chose low profile” in The Irish Times (16 April 1986) p. 9.
Sean Flynn, “Buoyant Mrs Guinness tells of her ordeal” in The Irish Times (17 April 1986) p. 1, .
“No hate for my captors – Mrs Guinness” in The Irish Times (17 April 1986) p. 9
Carol Coulter, “I had no doubt that my life was in danger” in The Irish Times (17 April 1986) p. 9.
Sean Flynn, “Close surveillance of car was key to kidnap breakthrough” in The Irish Times (17 April 1986) p. 9.
“Moment I have been waiting for” in The Irish Times (17 April 1986) p.
“Dublin men on kidnap charges” in The Irish Times (18 April 1986) p. 1.
“Gardai question three over kidnap” in The Irish Times (18 April 1986) p. 8.
“Fourth man charged in kidnap case” in The Irish Times (19 April 1986) p. 1.
“No charge as man and woman released” in The Irish Times (19 April 1986) p. 19.
“Further remand in Guinness kidnap case” in The Irish Times (25 April 1986) p. 10.
“Steering clear of trouble” in The Irish Times (5 May 1986) p. 8.
“Bail refused to man on Guinness charge” in The Irish Times (10 May 1986) p. 20.
“Further remand in Guinness case” in The Irish Times (14 May 1986) p. 7.
“Four in court on Guinness charge” in The Irish Times (24 May 1986) p. 20.
“Two remanded on Guinness charge” in The Irish Times (21 June 1986) p. 20.
“Brothers jailed for Guinness kidnap” in The Irish Times (24 June 1986) p. 10.
“The ‘big one’ that went wrong” in The Irish Times (24 June 1986) p. 10
“Guinness jewellery charges dropped” in The Irish Times (28 June 1986) p. 22.“Son presented as informer, court told” in The Irish Times (22 July 1986) p. 6.
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“Guinness case appeal is dismissed” in The Irish Times (4 November 1986) p. 10.
Sean Flynn, “Kidnapper to be extradited after jail term – Gardai” in The Irish Times (6 November 1986) p. 1.
“Man sentenced to 14 years in Guinness case” in The Irish Times (6 November 1986) p. 5.
“Court told defendant admitted that he organised kidnap” in The Irish Times (7 November 1986) p. 9
Niall Kiely, “Detective tells of talks with kidnappers at siege house” in The Irish Times (8 November 1986) p. 3.
“Farmer claims accused man admitted kidnap” in The Irish Times(11 November 1986) p. 7.
“Court told of phone calls to house used in kidnapping” in The Irish Times (12 November 1986) p. 5.
“Legal issue in kidnap case to be tried in jury’s absence” in The Irish Times (13 November 1986) p. 5.
“Jury in Guinness case back in court” in The Irish Times (14 November 1986) p. 12.
“Guinness kidnap case adjourned” in The Irish Times (15 November 1986) p. 10.
“McNicholl is found guilty of Guinness kidnapping” in The Irish Times (18 November 1986) p. 9
“Man gets 12 years for role in kidnapping” in The Irish Times(19 November 1986) p. 8
“McNicholl is found guilty of Guinness kidnapping” in The Irish Times (18 November 1986) p. 9
Sean Flynn, “Arrangements for Guinness ransom were well-advanced” in The Irish Times (18 November 1986) p. 9.
Noirin Hegarty, “Ransom would have ended hope of release” in The Irish Times (19 November 1986) p. 8.
“Bravery Awards” in The Irish Times (7 March 1987) p. 2.
Carol Coulter, “Guinness killed climbing Snowdon” in The Irish Times (29 February 1988) p. 9
“Hunger strike reported” in The Irish Times (12 December 1988) p. 10“Hunger striker moved to hospital” in The Irish Times (13 December 1988) p. 1.
“Kidnap victim assails officials over escape” in The Irish Times (18 September 1996) p. 4.
Nuala Haughey, “O’Donoghue calls for review of all detention procedures” in The Irish Times (18 September 1996) p. 4.
“Escaped prisoner reported seen with officer” in The Irish Times (20 September 1990) p. 7.
John Maher, “Escaper may attend wedding” in The Irish Times (21 September 1996) p. 4.
Rachel Donnelly, “Gilligan arrested under UK drug trafficking legislation” in The Irish Times (7 October 1996) p. 1, 6.
Rachel Borrill, “Gilligan charged under drug trafficking law” in The Irish Times (8 October 1996) p. 5.
Jim Cusack, “5 – month Garda inquiry led to Amsterdam drug arrests” in The Irish Times (14 March 2000) p. 1.
Isabel Conway, “Dutch-based Irish criminal said to be in hiding” in The Irish Times (14 March 2000) p. 5.
“Former kidnapper jailed for cocaine possession” in The Irish Times (4 October 2000) p. 4.
Isabel Conway, “Guinness kidnapper said to run drugs, weapons empire” in The Irish Times (7 February 2001) p. 4.
Isabel Conway, “10 year term urged for Guinness kidnapper” in The Irish Times (8 February 2001) p. 4.
Isabel Conway, “Trafficker is sentenced to nine years’ jail” in The Irish Times (22 February 2001) p. 4.
“Kidnappers sentence reduced” in The Irish Times (12 December 2001) p. 4.
Isobel Conway, “Extradition of drugs trafficker” in The Irish Times (2 November 2004) p. 3.
Cormac Looney, “Gangster back to his old tricks in Costa haven” in The Evening Herald (6 October 2009) https://www.herald.ie/news/gangster-back-to-his-old-tricks-in-costa-haven-27927882.html
Conor Feehen and Ken Foy, “Gangland figures farewell to veteran kidnapper and armed robber Mick Cunningham” in The Irish Independenthttps://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/gangland-figures-farewell-to-veteran-kidnapper-and-armed-robber-mick-cunningham-30894197.html(9 January 2015)
Jerome Reilly, “Jennifer Guinness – victim of notorious 1986 kidnapping that lasted eight days – has died” in The Irish Independenthttps://www.independent.ie/irish-news/jennifer-guinness-victim-of-a-notorious-1986-kidnapping-that-lasted-eight-days-has-died-34390718.html(23 January 2016)
Orna Mulcahy, “Guinness house in Howth for €12 million” in The Irish Timeshttps://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/guinness-house-in-howth-for-12-million-1.1294702(29 March 2007)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howth_Castle