The Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has called on those involved in ongoing gangland feud to step away from violence.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses after a 55-year-old man was shot dead outside his home in Co Meath last night.

Noel Duggan was sitting in a car at the Old Mill housing estate in Ratoath at around 8.00pm when he was shot a number of times, in an apparent gangland style attack.

A post mortem on his body will take place today at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

Superintendent James Cannon from Ashbourne Garda Station this afternoon made an appeal for witnesses and information about the shooting.

He says gardaí are particularly interested in a man in dark clothing seen running from the scene at the time of the shooting.

He also says two cars were found burnt out at Cairn Court in Ratoath:

One of the two burnt out cars located near the scene where a man named locally as Noel Duggan was shot dead outside his home in the The Old Mill housing estate in Ratoath, Co Meath. Image: RollingNews.ie

During his homily at the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin this morning, Diarmuid Martin pleaded for the violence to end.

Detectives believe the shooting may be part of a feud between two major criminal families in Dublin.

Conor Feehan, journalist with The Herald and Irish Independent, told Newstalk Breakfast that last night's attack is the latest in a long line of violence.

He says Mr Duggan earned the nickname 'Kingsize' "because of his involvement in smuggling illegal cigarettes. 

"Noel would have been well known to gardaí in the past, but of late his criminal dealings seem to have dwindled somewhat. That is why it is believed this attack last night may be directly related to his friendliness, if you want to call it that, with Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch," he explained.

Paul Williams, special correspondent with the Irish Independent, told the Pat Kenny Show here on Newstalk this "is as significant an incident as has happened yet".