IRELAND'S first ever female assassin was on her way to kill a second man when she was arrested by armed gardai.

Defiant Rose Lynch gave a clenched fist salute and exclaimed "Mná na hÉireann, tiocfaidh ár lá" after unexpectedly pleading guilty yesterday to killing dad-of-two David Darcy.

It has now emerged she had bullets in her handbag when she was arrested on the Naas Road in Dublin on suspicion of Mr Darcy's murder.

Gardai believe that she had a hit list with six other names on it and was on her way to kill another innocent man when they swooped.

Her target was innocent boxer Ian Tims (33), nicknamed ‘The Tank’. Sources say Lynch and her terrorist mob drew up a murder list after an internal row split the Continuity IRA.

“The list was badly researched and a number of totally innocent people mysteriously ended up on it,” explained a source.

Shouts

When arrested, blonde-haired Lynch was in the company of her lover – a senior Continuity IRA figure from Mullhuddart, west Dublin, who has previously served a four-year sentence for membership of the dissident group.

Yesterday, Lynch’s ‘IRA' call in court was met by shouts of “You should be ashamed of yourself!” and “Scumbag!” from the public gallery.

But after the brief hearing her father, Republican Joe ‘Tiny’ Lynch, said she was a “great woman”. He added: “I support my daughter and I’m the proudest man today as I was the day she came into the world.”

He added: “As far as I am concerned, as long as there are British soldiers in this country, there’ll be people like my daughter.”

The Limerick woman was involved with a Dublin man considered one of the most senior dissident Republicans operating in the country. He is currently serving a seven-year jail term for firearms offences.

Lynch would not be facing the inevitable life sentence due to be handed down today at the Special Criminal Court without the investigation led by Superintendent John Quirke and his team, including Detective Inspector Colm O'Malley and Detective Sergeant Denis Smith.

A senior source explained: “She shot Darcy in the head for no reason. Her sickos in the Continuity IRA got it into their heads that Darcy was involved in giving information in relation to the murder of Liam Kenny in 2011 and another shooting in Ballyfermot after that.

Mystified

“But they were wrong. Darcy had nothing to do with this. He may have been spotted by these IRA thugs just drinking with someone who they thought was involved.”

Mr Darcy delivered meat for Tom Whelan Meat Products and was a valued staff member.

Last night, his friends remained mystified by his shooting in November, 2011. His employer, Tom Whelan, said no one had any idea why he was shot dead in a company van outside his home on Cherry Orchard Avenue in Dublin.

“Our hearts go out this week to David's family and, of course, to his brother Stephen, who also works for us,” he said.

Presiding judge Elizabeth Dunne said yesterday that Lynch (50), of Oakleigh Wood, Dooradoyle, Limerick, would be remanded in custody and adjourned the sentence hearing until today.

hnews@herald.ie