In the early hours of New Year’s Eve 2025, a vicious gangland arson attack in north Dublin went horribly wrong, leaving an innocent family seriously injured and reigniting fears about the long shadow cast by the notorious Drogheda feud.
Updated January 4, 2026
What Happened in Finglas on New Year’s Eve?
Gardaí now believe a targeted petrol-bomb attack on Creston Avenue in Finglas was intended as direct retribution for the brutal 2020 gangland murder of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods, one of the most shocking killings in recent Irish criminal history.
However, in a devastating case of mistaken identity, the attackers struck the wrong house. An innocent family of foreign nationals with no criminal connections became the victims of this violent act. One woman in her 40s remains in hospital with serious injuries but is now described as stable, while three teenagers (two girls and one boy) and a woman in her 20s have been discharged after treatment.
• Perpetrator arrived on a motorbike
• Smashed downstairs window just after midnight
• Threw petrol bomb into living area
• Victims forced to jump from first-floor windows to escape flames
• Attackers fled the scene immediately
The Drogheda Feud: A Decade of Bloodshed
The ongoing feud between the Maguire and Boylan factions has been one of the most violent gangland conflicts in modern Irish history. Originating in control of the lucrative drugs trade in Louth and north Dublin, the dispute has claimed at least four lives since 2018.
The most horrific chapter came in January 2020 when teenager Keane Mulready-Woods, allegedly linked to the Boylan side, was abducted, murdered, and gruesomely dismembered. Body parts were discovered in multiple locations across Dublin, shocking the nation and intensifying the feud to unprecedented levels.
Garda sources now believe the Finglas attack was orchestrated by criminals associated with the Boylan faction, living in the Ballymun area, who wanted to target a member of the rival Maguire gang who had relocated to Finglas.
“This is being treated as a classic gangland revenge attack. They wanted to hit the Maguire side for the murder of Keane Mulready-Woods, but they got the wrong house entirely. A tragic and dangerous mistake.”
Why Did the Attack Go So Wrong?
Investigators believe the attackers were unfamiliar with the Finglas area. A senior source described the perpetrators as:
- Young men (likely in their 20s)
- Connected to a family-based gang in Ballymun
- Acting on long-standing simmering tensions
- Did not carry out sufficient reconnaissance
“They clearly didn’t do their homework,” the source added. “This mistake is going to escalate tensions significantly – not just in Dublin but back in Drogheda too.”
Current Garda Investigation Status
Detectives are currently:
- Reviewing extensive CCTV footage from the area
- Examining doorbell camera recordings
- Analysing motorbike movements in north Dublin
- Following intelligence leads linked to the Drogheda feud
- Working with specialist gangland units
The Human Cost of Gangland Feuds
While the feud itself often remains confined to the criminal underworld, incidents like the Finglas arson attack demonstrate the very real danger to innocent members of the public. Families who have nothing to do with organised crime are increasingly being caught in the crossfire of long-running vendettas.
Criminologists warn that as long as the multimillion-euro drug trade continues to fuel rivalries, such dangerous mistakes – and deliberate attacks – will remain a serious threat to community safety across Dublin and the north-east.
Related Articles You May Want to Read
- The Gruesome Murder of Keane Mulready-Woods: Timeline & Key Facts
- Inside the Drogheda Feud: How It Started and Where It Stands in 2026
- Gangland Violence in Ireland: The Human Cost Beyond the Headlines
- How Gardaí Are Tackling Organised Crime in North Dublin 2025–2026
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