Veronica Guerin was an Irish journalist who was born in 1958, and started her career in the early 1980s. She was best known for her investigative reporting on crime, particularly the drug trade in Dublin, Ireland. Guerin was a fearless reporter who was committed to exposing those who were involved in illegal activities and the damage that they were causing to society.
In the early 1990s, the drug trade in Dublin was escalating rapidly, and Guerin saw it as her duty to shine a light on those responsible. She began by interviewing addicts and dealers on the streets, and then moved on to more high-level figures. She eventually met John Traynor, a former associate of John Gilligan, a notorious drug dealer who was one of the most powerful figures in the Dublin drug scene.
Traynor was a paranoid and elusive informant, but after some persuasion, he agreed to help Guerin get closer to Gilligan. She confronted Gilligan in person and challenged him on his activities. He was not pleased with her probing and made threats against her both verbally and through violent actions.
Despite the threats against her, Guerin continued to write articles about Gilligan and his associates for the Sunday Independent newspaper. In June 1996, she was shot dead in her car by a gunman on a motorcycle. Her death shocked Ireland and led to a major crackdown on the drug trade in Dublin.
The movie Veronica Guerin was released in 2003 and starred Cate Blanchett as the title character. The film was directed by Joel Schumacher and received critical acclaim for its portrayal of Guerin's life and work. Blanchett's performance was particularly praised, and she was nominated for a BAFTA for her role.