InsaneJournal

the irish (the right hand man).

Character Name(s): Quinn Desmond de Burgh.
Nicknames/Aliases: His name is fine, thanks.
Gender: Male.
Affiliation: The Irish.
Mob Status: The Right Hand Man.
Age/DOB: 32 / 5 May 1993.
Distinguishing marks: None, actually.
PB: Matthew Goode.
Birth Location: Chicago, Illinois.

Personal Background: That he was an only child seemed almost antithetical to his heritage, yet this was nonetheless the case with Quinn de Burgh. Born to James de Burgh (an underboss of the O'Meara clan) and his wife Elva (Patrick O'Meara's younger sister), the boy was raised as if he was made of glass because he was the first and last child the couple was going to have. Whether this was fitting for his sickly infancy or whether it in some ways exacerbated the shaky first few years was difficult to determine; the only thing that can be said was that Quinn was one of those children baptised posthaste after his birth just in case, and each birthday for the first years of his life was celebrated with an exceptional amount of jubilation. It was not until elementary school that his parents felt quite sure of his health, and indeed that seemed to be a turning point in the boys' life; the company of other children his age probably did not do any harm.

He was the skinny bookish child, bright-eyed and gawky while growing up, and ultimately the boy of the generation who most thought would follow a path outside of the family business. He had not the right temperament, the consensus proclaimed; he was too quiet and mild-mannered, too pedantic and unassertive. And to be fair, these assessments were all true and fair – Quinn was in essence a sharp mind and a quick tongue and eyes focused from an early age on a different horizon (i.e. life on the east coast, admission to an Ivy). But at no point in his life had his mettle truly been tested either, and when he finally was, all these valid perceptions shifted. He was seventeen when his father was put in the hospital for five long months after a skirmish gone wrong, and it was then that Quinn showed indomitable initiative and ruthless efficiency. It was not when he made his first kill, not even when he first picked up a gun, but Quinn had quietly tracked down the bullet – thus the gun, thus the man who held the gun and pulled the trigger that incapacitated his father – a full two days before any of Patrick's men managed to do the same.

This favourable first impression in a "professional" capacity led to some re-evaluation, and it turned out that Quinn was actually not resistant to involvement in the family business – though he was not enthusiastic over it as well; it was more that he is ready and willing to take up that mantle. (Especially as his father was, well, retiring – though not of his own volition.) He ultimately eschewed the east-coast dreams, accepting instead his offer of admissions to the University of Chicago; and concurrently he also began to be familiarized with the family enterprises. Quinn managed to balance his schoolwork and also keep pace with his more experienced cousins though, especially as Conor O'Meara – the cousin with whom he had always shared an especial camaraderie – returned from college.

It was an interesting few years. From the beginning, Quinn was never meant to get right into the gritty details of day-to-day transactions, though he was expected to be firmly acquainted with all the operations; he learnt how to fire a gun only for the sake of self-defence, his time better spent learning how to keep sight of the whole picture. (Interestingly enough, he was not discernibly ambitious; Quinn was aware of his own abilities, and scarcely behaved as if he had something to prove.) And so, he was not present at the dispute-gone-wrong involving Conor and Dante Morelli, though he did hear about it later and was on edge for many months afterwards. But things for Quinn were still going relatively smoothly, as he became more and more embroiled in the business and began establishing his own personal connections as well. In the meantime, he was accepted into University of Chicago School of Law, and passed the bar in 2019. Instead of sending out his resume to firms around the city, however, Quinn instead packed his bags and flew back to the Old Country, where Conor had already been for two years. The point of the trip: to learn.

The subsequent five years spent shadowing Conor in Dublin have been transformative for both young men. It was, for Quinn, rather galling: having recently passed the bar, he still could not practice; yet what he learned in lieu of practicing what he already knew was highly instructive indeed. There is not much to say about these years except that Quinn has emerged from them as a very capable young man, with a cool head, steady nerves, and a commanding presence. His involvement in the family business was always going to take a turn for the practical with this arrangement, it was true, yet perhaps it would still surprise some to see him at Conor's right hand. (The idea that he was a boy meant for another life should have long since fallen by the wayside, but still.) Quinn was never a leader, but a counsellor and an administrator, the "go-to man" who gets things done once the objective has been figured out; he does not enforce his will onto others, but readily offers his opinions and expertise when they are sought. That was the way things had always been – in their youths, in Dublin, and now back in Chicago once more.

It must be noted, though, that Quinn is ultimately still the cerebral boy, only now grown up. He is not cruel but pragmatic and fastidious, noting what must be done and seeing that it is done well and expediently. He prefers delegating, though only to those who he trusts, and that number is not large; in lieu of such auxiliary support, Quinn actually has no qualms about pulling the trigger at a crucial moment himself. He believes in first-strike capabilities – his nature is not combative but if he has to contend with someone then he intends to deal the first and last blow, not even giving his opponent a chance to fight back. Quinn does not love bloodshed or conflict for the sake of conflict, but if caught in an explosive situation then his (literal) killer instinct is impeccable.

Actually, "impeccable" is a good word for Quinn as a man: it's obvious in the way that he dresses, his speech and carriage, and the sharp attentiveness of his eyes. His full attention is the sort that makes you feel like the only person in the room, because it's intense. Rarely does he ever afford this full attention to anyone who is not family in some way, however – he rarely meets anyone outside of the family who would be important enough for that. (This doesn't bode well for relationships, needless to say.) In the personal sphere Quinn is extremely set in his ways, inflexible, and taciturn: he does not appreciate other people sticking their nose into his business; and his liaisons, like his faith, are not subjects open for discussion.

Family: James de Burgh (father); Elva de Burgh, nee O'Meara (mother); the O'Meara family.
Weaknesses: Predilection toward addictive substances (currently it's just the usual suspects of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine), inability to commit to any relationship except familial ones, and what basically amounts to hubris.
Any Training: BA (Political Science), JD, University of Chicago; passed the bar in 2019.
Special Skills: Expansive knowledge of business law; remarkably good reflexes and a decent shot.
Occupation: General counsel to the O'Meara family business.
Current Residence: A bachelor pad in Mount Greenwood.