One man was shot dead and another seriously injured in a double shooting in Drumbana outside Limerick city at 9.30 p.m. last night.
The dead man was in his 40s and was believed to belong to one of the families involved in the feud. The injured man is believed to be in his 30s. Gardaí at Roxboro Road station are investigating the circumstances.
Meanwhile, members of the Garda sub-aqua unit will this morning join the search for the two missing Limerick brothers abducted from the city at gunpoint last Thursday.
The move has heightened beliefs locally that the search for Eddie and Kieran Ryan is now a search for their bodies. The men have been gone for one week and hopes of finding them alive have faded as each day passed.
Supt Willie Keane, who is heading the search, said an area of countryside in north Limerick spreading into Clare had been identified for searching when the men went missing. That area has now been completely scoured and while the search would continue it would now have to be reviewed, he said.
"There are a number of lakes in the wooded area in north Limerick that we want the sub-aqua unit to come in and have a look at and that is what they will be doing," Supt Keane said.
A relative of the brothers said yesterday she could not sleep at night as tensions between two feuding families mounted. Ms Charlotte Stanners, Delmege Park, Moyross, said the abduction of the Ryans had put everyone connected to the family on high alert.
"We can't sleep easy at night. We're just praying that Eddie Ryan is watching over his two boys and that he'll bring them home safely," said Ms Stanners, who is related to the missing boys through marriage.
"It's frightening and everyone is watching out for their children."