Leo Dowling

Infobox soap character
name = Leo Dowling
series =Fair City
colour=#99CCCC;
first =1996
children = Dean Dowling (son)
Troy Dowling (son)
Shannon Dowling (daughter)
occupation =
spouse = Petula Dowling
Sandie Dowling
Pauline Dowling
Lana Dowling
residence =
portrayer = Dave Duffy

Leo Dowling is a fictional character in the RTÉ soap opera "Fair City", portrayed by Dave Duffy.

Character related plot

When Dowling first arrived in Carrigstown in 1996, he set up a taxi company "Acorn Cabs" and began a relationship with Sandie. They later got married. Dowling had an affair with Niamh Cassidy. Dowling's son Dean found out about the affair and told Sandie. A devastated Sandie got drunk and had a one-night stand with Dean. She became pregnant and left Carrigstown, as she was uncertain who the father was. Dowling was devastated by this and found help in the form of Pauline Fitzpatrick.

In 2001, Dowling began a relationship with Pauline, and they later got married. Their relationship crumbled when Dowling began a partnership with Billy Meehan while unaware that he was a crime boss. Billy used "Acorn Cabs" as a front for drugs and prostitutes. When Dowling found out, he confronted Billy and the crime boss warned him not to mess with him. Dowling refused to be imtimidated, but the crime boss had the upper hand and firebombed his house as punishment. A terrified Pauline fled the country and Dowling told the Gardaí everything, but there wasn't enough evidence.

In 2002, Dowling learned that Carol Meehan was being abused by Billy and decided to team up with the crime boss. Dowling believed that Billy had ruined his life and had a showdown with the crime boss, leaving a bloody remnant of Billy afterwards. Carol was preparing to leave Ireland with Lorcan, but Billy came across her flight tickets and attacked her. An infuriated Lorcan appeared and killed Billy with a golf club. With Billy dead, Carol immediately went into action, calling Dowling over to the crime scene. Although Dowling suspected that Billy's body had been in a different position the last time he saw him, Carol tricked Dowling into believing that he killed him. The pair subsequently buried Billy's body in the Dublin Mountains. Pascal Mulvey, a war veteran and Lorcan's friend, convinced the teenager to join the Irish Army. Carol managed to convince both Dowling and Lorcan to keep Billy's death a secret. Carol, not wanting to be associated with Billy's prostitution ring, put Mick O'Shea in charge of "The Galley", which was a front for prostitutes. On Christmas Day, Dowling's conscience got the better of him and he found himself at Billy's burial site. Carol was able to keep Dowling under control, but months later in 2003, alerted by a dog, the Gardaí came across Billy's body.

Detective Byrne and Sergeant Deegan tried to solve the murder of Billy Meehan. Although Deegan suspected that Dowling was behind it, Byrne sensed that Carol was involved. They soon discovered that Carol had been lying about receiving phone calls from Billy, but the innocent Dowling became the prime suspect of murdering Billy. Pascal refused to allow an innocent man take the fall and arranged to meet Carol. When Carol arrived at the location, she was shocked to discover that Pascal was sitting unconscious in a chair and the war veteran spent months in a comatose state in hospital. Days before the trial took place, Dowling suddenly realised that Billy's body had been moved, but by then it was too late, as Carol feigned ignorance of what really happened. Dowling was wrongfully convicted for murder. Pauline couldn't deal with the fact that Dowling was found guilty. She broke up with him and filed for a divorce. A devastated Dowling learnt about this on 25 December 2003. Lorcan visited Pascal in hospital and decided to tell the Gardaí everything. In 2004, Dowling was released from prison.

Dowling went on holiday in Russia and met Lana Boldin. When he returned home, he was shocked to find her outside his house. She had come to Ireland to work as a dancer but was stunned to discover that her dancing job was actually in a lap dancing club. Dowling took her in and their flirtatious friendship soon developed into a romance. Lana needed a work permit to stay in Ireland, so she arranged to marry a gay jeweller Marcus. A disgusted Dowling arrived at the wedding and became Lana's husband instead. In 2006, Dowling began a partnership with his childhood fried Tim Carney. Lana suspected that Tim's wife Olga was unhappy. Although Lana and Sergei suspected that Olga was a prisoner in her own home, Dowling's main concern was about his business, but he eventually decided to help them rescue her.

When Dowling tricked Tim into going to McCoys, Lana went to see Olga. As Lana and Olga prepared to leave, Declan attempted to stop them, but they pushed their way past him and escaped. When Tim returned to his house, Declan told him that he didn't want to get involved with any disputes and subsequently left Carrigstown. Furious that Olga had left his house, Tim went over to Dowling's house and demanded to see Olga. When Dowling refused, Tim spent the night in his car and got drunk. On 25 December 2006, Tim shouted at Dowling to let him in. When the shouting continued for hours, Dowling eventually had enough of Tim's yelling and contacted the Gardaí. The police took a drunken Tim away. The next day, Dowling was shocked to see the state of Tim and his house. Tim revealed to Dowling the origin of his marriage to Olga. When Tim promised that he wouldn't treat his wife badly ever again, Olga felt sorry for her husband, so she decided to go back to his house, much to Tim's delight.In August 2007, Leo's wife Lana disappeared. There was a huge media interest in the case but Lana was nowhere to be found.

Then a year later in August 2008. Mick Mahoney told Leo that he had found Lana. He later brought him to her grave in the Dublin Mountains. However a witness discovered this and called the Gardai and they discovered her grave. They told Leo that they had found her but Leo didnt react which sparked Rory Goff's suspicion. Mick arranged for Leo's car to be cleaned so no evidence could be found but the gardai copped onto this too. Leo was soon brought in for questioning.

Leo was released on bail supplied by Bela Doyle. Shortly after, Lana's real murderer, Terence Cooney arrived in Carrigstown. He attacked a teenage boy and told him to say Leo Dowling attacked him. He also told a homeless girl to tell the gardai that Leo payed her for sex and made her wear a wig similar to Lana's hairstyle. Terence eventually let himself known to Leo. He told him that he killed Lana after she refused to pay him taxi fare. He then told Leo to confess to Lana's murder. He made it clear that if Leo didn't listen to him then he would kill an innocent person.

The next day, Leo told of his encounter with Terence to Detective Deegan. Deegan started to believe him but Rory Goff didn't. Leo then discovered that Terence had kidnapped Ray O'Connell. Leo later found out that he had taken Ray to Howth. Leo headed out there to confront him. They started brawling near the cliff edge which resulted in Terence falling to his supposed death in the sea. (His body was never recovered)

Dean returned to try and help Leo. He revealed that Sandie had a DNA test that revealed that Leo was Shannon's father.

External links

* [http://www.rte.ie/tv/faircity/leo.html Profile of Leo Dowling at www.rte.ie]