The Irish Mob's Audacious Plan to Obliterate the Mafia
When veteran criminals gather in their fading haunts, they often reminisce about an era when Irish gangs dominated the American underworld. From Dion O'Bannion and Bugs Moran battling Al Capone in Chicago to the West End Gang in Montreal and the notorious Westies in New York, Irish racketeers were once formidable players. However, as the diaspora climbed the socio-economic ladder, many left crime behind for legitimate pursuits.
A Pivotal Moment in 1980s New York
Yet, a critical juncture arrived in the 1980s, when the Westies, based in Hell's Kitchen, devised a bold scheme that could have reshaped organized crime. Former mob-busting prosecutor Rudolph Giuliani later described them as "the most savage organization in the long history of New York." The plan was so audacious that it was only derailed by an excess of Irish Whiskey, according to historical accounts.
In 1977, Westies leader Jimmy Coonan orchestrated the murder of Irish mobster Mickey Spillane with help from Gambino family enforcer Roy Demeo. Coonan's key asset was Mickey Featherstone, a psychotic Vietnam veteran fueled by whiskey and cocaine. The Westies, though small with 20 to 60 members, controlled unions at venues like Madison Square Garden and served as freelance hitmen for the Mafia.
The Failed Restaurant Massacre Plot
Gambino chieftain Paul "Big Paulie" Castellano, focused on construction rackets, grew weary of the Westies' violent antics. In 1978, he summoned Coonan to a Brooklyn Italian restaurant to discuss bringing the Irish gang under Italian protection. Coonan, distrustful of the Italians, brought Featherstone as backup and stationed a hit team nearby armed with machine guns and grenades.
The agreement was clear: if Coonan and Featherstone did not emerge within two hours, the squad would storm the restaurant and kill everyone inside. The meeting started tensely, with Castellano inquiring about missing loan shark Ruby Stein, whose murder Coonan denied. Castellano then admonished the Irish to stop acting "wild" and submit to Mafia oversight.
As the dinner progressed with pasta, veal, and wine, Coonan lost track of time. When he finally checked his watch, the deadline had passed. Rushing outside, he found his hit squad not poised for attack but instead drinking Irish Whiskey. They had decided to abandon the plan, opting for patience and another round of drinks.
The Downfall of the Westies
This missed opportunity coincided with shifting underworld dynamics. Featherstone later turned informant, testifying in court about the Westies' bloody reign and effectively dismantling the century-old syndicate. Meanwhile, Castellano met his end in 1985, assassinated on a Manhattan street, while RICO laws decimated organized crime ranks.
The Irish largely transitioned to legitimate power bases in police, fire departments, civil service, and politics, culminating in the presidency in 1960. Prosperity and middle-class values ultimately proved deadlier to Irish and Italian criminals than any gang war. Whitey Bulger, the last significant Irish crime boss, was killed in prison in 2018, closing a violent chapter.
As St. Patrick's Day approaches, this tale serves as a reminder of a bygone era when Irish hoodlums nearly altered Mafia history, only to be foiled by their own vices.
