Ireland has had its fair share of shocking robberies over the years.
There have been certain robberies and heists over the decades that have truly shocked the nation and beyond. The notoriety of these particular cases still persists today.
From one of Europe’s biggest art robbery heists to walking out of the bank with millions, let’s take a look at the five most notorious Irish robberies of all time.
- Ireland has had its fair share of shocking robberies over the years.
- 5. The Clonshaugh robbery – ten minutes, in and out
- 4. Ireland’s biggest art robbery – one of the most notorious Irish robberies of all time
- 3. 2009 Bank of Ireland robbery – walking away with €7.6 million
- 2. 2004 Northern Bank robbery – Ireland’s most shocking bank robbery
- 1. Shergar the horse – a heartbreaking robbery
5. The Clonshaugh robbery – ten minutes, in and out
In 1995, a gang raided the Brinks Allied Depot in Clonshaugh, North Dublin, in a meticulously planned heist months in the making.
On the night of the robbery, 24 January 1995, a Dublin gang lord and his team of 12 raided the depot. In just ten minutes, the gang managed to break in and take off with over €3 million.
Police never arrested anyone for the crime, despite the robbery commanding huge media attention in its wake. Dublin journalist Veronica Guerin was shot in the leg at her home after writing a string of reports on the robbery.
4. Ireland’s biggest art robbery – one of the most notorious Irish robberies of all time
One of the biggest art robberies in Europe happened in County Wicklow in May 1986 when some of the most valuable works from Sir Alfred Beit’s collection at Russborough House disappeared.
Led by Martin Cahill, one of Ireland’s most notorious gangsters, a gang stole a total of eighteen paintings from the collection, including a Vermeer and a Goya.
Due to the high-profile nature of the paintings, they proved very difficult to sell and eventually passed through the hands of various criminals around the world.
They were eventually uncovered through police raids in Belgium, Turkey, and England. The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) even bought one of the paintings from Cahill.
3. 2009 Bank of Ireland robbery – walking away with €7.6 million
One of the most notorious Irish robberies of all time was the Bank of Ireland robbery that took place on 27 February 2009.
Shane Travers, a 24-year-old Bank of Ireland employee at the time, was forced to remove €7.6 million in cash from the bank as his girlfriend and two others were held hostage.
At the time, Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform criticised the bank for failing to follow proper protocol, as they did not inform police of the incident until after the robbers removed the money from the bank.
€1.8 million of the stolen money was recovered, and seven people were arrested by gardaí the day after the robbery. These seven people, six men and one woman, were believed to be members of a well-known north Dublin gang.
2. 2004 Northern Bank robbery – Ireland’s most shocking bank robbery
On 20 December 2004, a total of £26.5 million in cash was stolen from the Northern Bank headquarters on Donegall Square West in Belfast City Centre.
The night before the robbery, groups of armed men arrived at the homes of two Northern Bank employees, one in Poleglass in west Belfast and one in Downpatrick.
Perpetrators held the two employees’ family members at gunpoint either in their homes or at an undisclosed location. Meanwhile, the two bank employees, as instructed, turned up to work on the morning of 20 December 2004 as normal.
The robbers kept in touch with the workers all day through mobile phones. They then instructed the workers to send colleagues home early and to fill a bag with £1 million in used and used £50 and £100 notes.
Thieves loaded the money into a van, taking it away in two trips. Popular belief blames the IRA for the robbery.
1. Shergar the horse – a heartbreaking robbery
Last on our list of the most notorious Irish robberies of all time is the kidnapping of Shergar the horse. Shergar, an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse, was one of the greatest Irish racehorses of all time.
At the time of his kidnapping, he was owned by the Aga Khan. 1981 was the most successful year of Shergar’s career as he ran six races, out of which he won five.
That year, he won the 202nd Epsom Derby by ten lengths, which was the longest winning margin in the race’s history.
After this race, the Aga Khan sold 40 shares in Shergar, valuing it at £10 million. After his successful season, he retired to the Ballymany Stud in County Kildare.
It was in 1983 that thieves took Shergar from the stud. They demanded, but never received, a ransom of £2 million.
There is a long-held belief among many that the IRA was responsible for the theft. However, the group has never admitted any part in it. Authorities never found Shergar, and many believe he was brutally killed by his kidnappers.
