A man was shot dead outside his home last night by a gunman as young as 15 after he confronted a group who had been tormenting him.

The 50-year-old victim was shot once in the body and died shortly afterwards in the Mater Hospital, despite the frantic efforts of ambulance staff to revive him.

Locals named the victim as Aidan O'Kane, a self employed mechanic, of Shelmalier Road, East Wall.

Gardai believe Mr O'Kane was hit by a shot from a handgun when he ran after a group of youths who had earlier reportedly been throwing eggs at his home.

Initial reports suggested that Mr O'Kane ran after the group into a laneway, off Bargy Road, where he was shot. An ambulance was called and the badly wounded man was rushed to the hospital, but all efforts to save his life failed.

Senior officers said Mr O'Kane was not known to them and they were satisfied that the shooting had no connection to the gangland feud that has already claimed several lives in the north inner city.

Mr O'Kane had moved into the area less than a year ago and lived in the 1950s end-of-terrace house with his son, Dylan.

Neighbours described him as a "quiet character" who worked in his garden and had repaired bicycles for a lot of the local children.

But in recent weeks a gang of teenage boys had been tormenting him and had subjected him to a campaign of intimidation.

Gardai last night were investigating reports that eggs had been thrown at the house earlier yesterday and detectives were investigating a possible link between that incident and the shooting.

The shooting took place shortly after 7pm and the area was quickly cordoned off by gardai for the arrival of a team from the technical bureau.

Last night, gardai at the investigation headquarters at Store Street station appealed to anybody who had seen teenagers acting suspiciously in the Shelmalier Road and Bargy Road area between 6.30pm and 7.30pm to contact them.

Shelmalier Road is a quiet residential area.

Local people reported hearing shouts just prior to the shooting on the relatively deserted road.

"He was always fixing cars in the garden. There was a car set on fire in the garden the other night," said one neighbour.

It was also reported that Mr O'Kane's car was pushed from the front of his house in the past by his tormentors.

"He used to fix my car for me. He was lovely," said one local. "I heard he chased them up the lane and he was shot up there.

"He was no trouble. As far as neighbours go, he was grand."