public order training - Garda Review

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THE FORCE MAGAZINE SINCE 1923 VOLUME 35 NO. 9 NOVEMBER 2007 

GARDA REVIEW 

INTO THE FIRE 

PUBLIC ORDER TRAINING 

www.gra.cc

Garda_NOV_07_p1-3:Garda_Mar_07-p1-3 11/9/07 10:22 AM Page 1 

VOLUME 35 NO. 9 

NOVEMBER 2007 

GARDA REVIEW 

Floor 5, Phibsboro Tower, 

Phibsboro, Dublin 7. 

Tel: 01-830 3533 

Fax: 01-830 3331 

E-mail: editor@gardareview.com 

Web: www.gra.cc 

EDITORIAL BOARD: 

Chairman: P.J. Stone 

Secretary: John Healy 

John Egan 

Donal Flannery 

Dave McMahon 

Tel: 01-830 3533 

Garda Representative Association 

Views expressed in Garda Review do not 

necessarily reflect the policies of 

An Garda Síochána, the Representative 

Associations, the Editorial Board, 

or the Editor. 

EDITOR: 

Neil Ward 

COVER IMAGE: Training the Public 

Order Units. Picture by Neil Ward 

THE END OF AN ERA 

This month we say farewell to the last member of the Force to be trained in Garda 

Headquarters, fondly known as the Depot. Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy has 

handed in the warrant card that he has carried since 1964, having served Ireland 

for over forty years; over half of the time that the Force has been in existence. We 

extend a tribute to him for his talent and dedication as both an investigator and a 

brave upholder of law and order. One of his final ceremonial duties was to 

oversee the presentation ceremony for the awarding of six Scott Medals for 

bravery; he himself received a silver Scott Medal when a Detective Inspector in 

1980. Throughout his career he has shown exceptional courage and determination. 

It has been said that he was the finest policeman and yet the worst politician to 

hold the highest rank in the Force. Noel Conroy would be the first to accept that 

he did not like the attention of the media or the platform of public speaking. He 

was too often overshadowed at press conferences, especially the many jointly held 

with then Minister Michael McDowell. The Minister would answer questions on 

his behalf. 

There was a lengthy period where we too believed that the then Minister for 

Justice saw himself in the role of Garda Commissioner. If we had any major 

complaint of this time, it was that the Garda Commissioner failed to deliver the 

leadership that we had hoped for, and that he would have had the temerity to 

suggest that he wanted real resources rather than allowing himself to be bullied 

into seeking a doomed-to-failure Garda Reserve. He might have used his not 

inconsiderable position to demand that his men and women were equipped with 

the most basic of tools for their job. We have witnessed the tenure of yet another 

Garda Commissioner while our members remained without an effective and 

encrypted communication system, or an effective non-lethal deterrent from violent 

assault – such as incapacitant spray. 

It has often been remarked that the Force has undergone greater change under 

the auspices of Commissioner Conroy than at any time under his 16 predecessors. 

The sands have constantly shifted under his feet throughout his four-year tenure; 

he has been touted as the man who kept ‘a steady hand on the tiller’. 

He did navigate the ship into uncharted waters. He implemented many of the 

changes made under the Garda Síochána Act 2005; the introduction of the Garda 

Síochána Inspectorate, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and the new 

Garda Discipline Regulations. He weathered the storm of the reports of several 

tribunals. On his watch, there has been unprecedented recruitment and career 

advancement for both Gardaí and civilian members of the Force with increased 

age limits for both recruitment and retention. 

But Noel Conroy was himself not a moderniser, he was old school, and that is 

why many of the changes have been imposed from outside of our ranks. Perhaps 

the biggest challenges of a new Ireland are yet to be faced. There is an upsurge in 

criminal gangs that have to be defeated; and while we have seen some significant 

progress in recent weeks we are still a long way off from a cure for this ill. The 

recruitment level from ethnic minorities and non-Irish nationals is failing to 

materialise in the numbers required to have a force truly representative of the new 

community. We now need to be truly modernised from within and outside: We 

need the resources and accommodation that befits a contemporary police service. 

Moreover, we now need a movement away from the 

measurement paralysis where the ‘return of work’ is a lone 

index of achievement. We need an imaginative revival of the 

Force’s origins, where the regular uniform units were at the 

core of both An Garda Síochána and our community. 

EDITORIAL 

GARDA REVIEW � NOVEMBER 2007 � 1


NOTEBOOK/INDEX 

� GARDA REVIEW � NOVEMBER 2007 

2 

NOTEBOOK 

WRITE TO REPLY 

By Kieran FitzGerald 

The Garda Review is seriously off the mark in 

suggesting that the Garda Síochána 

Ombudsman Commission sought to adjourn the 

inquest into the deaths of the Lusk Post Office 

raiders on some sort of a whim. 

In the October issue (Notebook) the Review 

claims that the application by GSOC was “a 

mistake and disrespectful” to Garda Paul Sherlock who had been “gunned 

down in broad daylight in the same district where the raiders were well 

known.” The attack on Garda Sherlock was an abomination. But it should 

not be argued that the perpetration of a serious crime such as this should 

somehow influence any agency of the justice system to abandon its duty 

under the law. 

The Garda Ombudsman in this instance acted as the law requires it to 

do based on Section 25 of the Coroners’ Act 1962. 

Yes, the application was terribly late. The Garda Ombudsman 

immediately acknowledged that there had been a systems failure in its 

processing of complaints. It expressed its regrets and acknowledged the 

inconvenience and stress that could flow from the application. 

This incident should be seen in the context of more than 1,500 

complaints and inquiries, plus over 200 referrals from the Garda 

authorities since its doors were opened in May. 

Having considered the application, the Coroner, Dr Farrell, rejected it. 

He cited, among other considerations, ‘the balance of administrative 

convenience.’ But it is a reality that strict adherence to legal process can 

indeed cause ‘inconvenience.’ These matters have to be seen a wider 

context. 

The reality is that stresses and strains were going to be inevitable once 

the Irish people, through their elected representatives, decided to 

empower an authority to oversee the conduct of the Gardaí. 

Independent oversight is now - and will remain - a fact of life for 

policing in this State, unless and until the Oireachtas decides otherwise. It 

is necessary for both Gardaí and the Ombudsman to try to understand 

each others’ sensitivities and above all to recognise each others’ duties 

and responsibilities. 

To suggest, as has been done in this instance, that the Garda 

Ombudsman wants to ‘establish a fierce reputation’ as a ‘watchdog with 

sharp teeth’ is to give oxygen to a potentially dangerous fiction. 

It is important that Gardaí be aware of what the Garda Ombudsman 

does and does not do. It does not prosecute Gardaí. It does not punish 

Gardaí. Its role is to search for the truth, based on evidence that is 

procured by lawful means, where concerns or complaints are raised about 

the conduct of members of the Garda Síochána. 

It is not for or against either ‘side’ in such incidents. It operates strictly 

within the law and in accordance with operational protocols that were 

worked out and agreed over a period of more than a year with the Garda 

authorities. The law says that they must be the agreed roadmap for both 

organisations. 

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission has engaged widely in 

dialogue across the Garda Síochána, through the Consultative Group 

which it established early in 2006 and frequently through the kind 

invitations of the various representative associations. 

This spirit of constructive dialogue should not be lost - but should be 

built upon for the future. 

Kieran FitzGerald is Head of Communications and Research, 

Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission 

index 

1 EDITORIAL 

4 PUBLIC ORDER 

11 COMMUNITY COMMITMENT 

12 NEW STATION: FINGLAS 

15 KERRY LIFE EDUCATION 

16 TIPPERARY TOWN 

25 TRANSPORT POLICE 

30 GARDA STORY 

32 ST PAUL’S AT 40 

39 MONEY TALKS 

40 INFORMER 

41 HISTORICAL SOCIETY 

43 LEGAL 

45 BOOK REVIEW 

47 GARDA SPORTSFILE 

51 COMPETITION 

53 PRIZE CROSSWORD 

55 IN THE JOB 

64 END FRAME


CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2007 

4 INTO THE FIRE 

The instruction might be more hazardous 

for participants than deployment, but the 

need for fully trained public order units is 

greater than ever. Neil Ward reports. 

11 THE PERFECT KIT 

The GAA have launched an invaluable 

resource for coaches and would-be 

mentors. We have 10 to give away to 

those who will use them best. 

12 FINGLAS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE 

After a long campaign by members in 

Finglas a new site for a Garda station was 

secured. The building is set to be a 

flagship station. Neil Ward reports. 

15 KERRY GARDAÍ SUPPORT 

PREVENTION 

Kerry Life Education is a youth 

orientated initiative that is proactively 

going into primary schools to help 

students understand healthy life choices. 

16 WE’VE COME A LONG WAY 

Members in Tipperary district think it is 

typical of rural policing, and both operation 

anvil and an augmented traffic corps are 

paying dividends. Neil Ward reports. 

25 TRANSPORT POLICE 

Assaults against passengers, robbery, 

ticket fraud, drug dealing and 

terrorism…Just some of the tasks a 

transport police faces daily. Ireland is one 

of the few jurisdictions in Europe that 

doesn’t have one. June Caldwell reports. 

30 GARDA STORY 

Garda John Merrick walks the walk. 

32 LIFE BEGINS 

It probably wouldn’t happen if you tried 

to start now. Since the 1960s – without 

payment – Gardaí from Cork gave their 

free time and annual leave to build a 

credit union. Neil Ward reports. 

39 MONEY TALKS 

Your pay is your most important asset, 

writes Martin Sheehan 

40 INFORMER 

Garda stories and views from around the 

country. 

41 GARDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY 

RETURNS 

With a lecture to celebrate the centenary 

of the theft of the ‘Irish Crown Jewels’. 

43 LEGAL 

Solicitor David Laffan looks at enduring 

powers of attorney. 

47 GARDA SPORTSFILE 

Garda sports news from around the 

country and sports clubs. 

51 COMPETITION 

Win a fully-installed satellite navigation 

system. 

53 PRIZE CROSSWORD 

The first two correct entries drawn in this 

month’s crossword will receive a 

Motorola MOTORIZR Z3 mobile phone. 

57 IN THE JOB 

The list is out…All the latest transfers, 

promotions and retirements. 

64 END FRAME 

A dying declaration 

VOLUME 35 NO. 9 

NOVEMBER 2007 

GARDA REVIEW 

The magazine is published by 

Dyflin Publications on behalf of 

Garda Review Ltd and printed by 

Turner’s Printing Co., Longford 

Dyflin Publications Ltd. 

Cunningham House, 

130 Francis Street, Dublin 8. 

Tel: 01-416 7900, Fax: 01-416 7901, 

E-mail: editor@gardareview.com 

EDITOR 

Neil Ward 

JOINT MANAGING DIRECTORS 

Karen Hesse, Philip McGaley 

EDITORIAL DESIGN MANAGER 

Layla Hogan 

ADVERTISEMENT DESIGN MANAGER 

Diarmuid O Connor 

DESIGN 

Suzanne Murray 

ADVERTISEMENT PRODUCTION 

CO-ORDINATOR 

Amina Ferradj 

ADVERTISEMENT DESIGN 

Colm Geoghegan 

Ciarán McBride 

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS 

June Caldwell, Paul Golden 

EDITORIAL CONTENT 

All enquiries and submissions 

should be directed to The Editor, Garda 

Review, Floor 5, Phibsboro Tower, Dublin 7. 

editor@gardareview.com 

ADVERTISING SALES 

Tony Doyle, Darragh Broe 

& Declan Murphy 

www.gardareview.com 

Dyflin Publications is a member of the 

Professional Publishers Association of Ireland 

CONTENTS/INDEX 


Garda_Nov_07_p4-9:Garda_Mar_07-p4-29 11/9/07 9:58 AM Page 4 

Training in 2004. 

Picture by Darren Martin 

GREATER NEED FOR PUBLIC ORDER TRAINING 

4 � GARDA REVIEW � NOVEMBER 2007 

May Day 2004. 

Picture by Darren Martin


INTO 

THE 

Public order policing is about 

being part of a well-drilled 

machine; where six members and 

their unit sergeant move as one. It 

is as close to operational drill as you can 

get. The difference between regular 

policing and the graduation to public 

order policing, for any Garda, is 

essentially that you make no action or 

movement until commanded to do so, and 

no one works on their own. 

While there are six Gardaí for each of 

the sergeants, these need not be a 

constant team as different people can 

make up the squad depending upon 

availability. The training is universal and 

the tactics interchangeable; it is designed 

so that all instructed members can 

function as a unit, whether they work 

together regularly or never before. As 

soon as the order is given members know 

the drill. 

Inspector Declan Downey is one of the 

senior instructors for all of the public 

order units in the country, and he is fully 

operational in the DMR region. He said, 

“Members can be mixed and match and 

still operate as a unit. 

“This is the nature of public order units 

all over the world – the members are not 

autonomous and must act with clearly 

defined and practised roles; in a way not 

dissimilar to the tactics employed in the 

military.” 


FIRE 

The instruction might be more hazardous for 

participants than deployment, but the need 

for fully trained public order units is greater 

than ever. Neil Ward reports. 

The baton and shield formations are not 

unlike those practiced by Roman legions 

two thousand years ago. It is kept as 

simple as possible for each individual, but 

collectively the tactics form a sophisticated 

means to break up violent disorder without 

resorting to lethal weaponry. 

Garda public order units are engaged 

on a part-time basis, to be called on as 

required. There is a pool resource drawn 

from the regular uniformed units. Units 

are generally on standby in Dublin City 

Divisions on Friday and Saturday nights; 

Sundays, at Bank Holiday weekends, and 

increasingly in country towns and 

divisions too. 

Members are generally informed of a 

tour by a unit sergeant as to when they 

might be required, they are no longer 

eligible to be drawn from specialist units; 

even those who have been trained and are 

experienced in operations are ruled out as 

they can be called on at awkward times 

and more frequently – it can leave gaps in 

those specialist units. As people are 

transferred out of the regular uniformed 

units, more members have to be trained in 

public order, as the need arises. 

Public order units are organised and 

trained on a regional basis; there is no 

full-time training facility so this facility 

has to be usually borrowed from the 

Defence Forces; with current capacity to 

train 60 members per week (in the DMR) 




Back L-R: Michael Kearney; Peter Divilly; Andy Hawkshaw; John Troy: Pat Byrne Front L-R: Paddy McMenaman; 

Stephen O’Mahony; Richard Shannon; Willie Howard; Colm Megan; Declan Downey; Pat Greensmith 

when the base in Gormanstown, Co. 

Meath, is available. 

In September a further 450 members 

were put through the training process to 

add to the 1,089 previously trained 

personnel, such is the demand for the 

units in an ever-increasing climate of 

public disorder after-hours in town and 

city centres and at soccer matches. 

The instructors themselves are trained 

for three weeks in Templemore; some 

then go on to the PSNI or to Manchester 

for further specialist courses. 

“Health and safety in the training are 

paramount”, said Declan Downey, 

“especially when missiles and debris such 

as blocks are being thrown, the dog unit 

and mounted unit are in full flow – and 

where we are training using petrol. 

“Petrol is used in training, but there are 

health and safety issues, so this type of 

practice should become tougher on the 

refresher courses. Training is often more 

hazardous than deployment; as that 

deployment can often entail sitting in the 

back of a van. 

“The advanced paramedics or Emergency 

Medical Technicians (EMTs) are vitally 

important in our training and 

deployments. They are well trained in all 

aspects and tactics, including petrol, that 

relate to public order incidents and are a 

vital component of Garda training, as 

they are there on the scene of any 

disorder with us.” 

The paramedics attend on a loose- 

“THIS IS THE NATURE OF 

PUBLIC ORDER UNITS ALL 

OVER THE WORLD – THE 

MEMBERS ARE NOT 

AUTONOMOUS AND MUST 

ACT AS WITH DEFINED 

AND PRACTISED ROLES” 

arrangement basis at present rather than 

through formal protocols, which are still 

to be formalised and finalised through 

Garda HQ. 

OPEN COMPETITION 

There has previously been a pre-selection 

course to determine whether candidates 

are fit enough to stand the physical nature 

of the duty. This year saw the 

introduction of the basic fitness test for 

all participants, of whatever rank, on the 

first day of each basic course. There is a 

lot of kit – the overalls, batons, shield, 

fire extinguisher, some carry gas masks, 

helmet, cuffs and body armour on the 

torso, arms and legs. 

Magpies like to collect stuff; and exmembers 

of the public order units have 

gained a reputation for holding onto their 

kit. Helmets are understandable, for 

health and safety (hygiene) reasons these 

are personally issued. The rest is reissued 

and recycled, as are the plastic 


water bottles that are used extensively in 

training to provide distractions to the 

trainees. 

There is the blunt trauma body armour 

vest, helmet, gloves, baton, utility belt 

and a large public order shield. While the 

shields are not heavy in themselves if you 

are carrying it for an hour or more when 

having rocks thrown at you they get very 

heavy. 

Members in training are generally 

young and fit; training is arduous as it 

involves carrying the shield for the week. 

The average age for a Garda to be 

accepted for training is between 22 and 

30, while the sergeants tend to be in or 

around 35. 

Female members tend to demonstrate a 

greater drop out rate; which is often 

explained in terms of the need for upper 

body and lower back strength for the 

cumulative weight of carrying the kit – 

especially if shields can become too 

much. However, there are quite a 

considerable number of female members 

presently within the National Public 

Order Unit. 

The training is arduous. Anyone with a 

medical history – or in their immediate 

family – will not be considered; even 

members with old injuries that might 

recur and treated similarly. 

PRE-REHEARSED 

There is no additional payment; it is 

voluntary in that it is applied for through 

the usual channels. An open competition 

is held and members are invited to 

register their interest. When it comes to 

payment, overtime becomes payable if a 

member is called in on a rest day, and 

depending on the distance travelled it 

may become eligible for subsistence 

allowances. 

The deployment of public order units 

must always be based on the principles of 

Inspectors Declan Downey 

and Andy Hawkshaw 




proportionality and graduated response. 

This operates by regular uniform Gardaí 

being deployed first, and the public order 

unit is only used in the event that the 

regular uniform response is inadequate to 

deal with the level of unrest. The public 

order response must be in proportion to 

the level of violence encountered. 

There is considerable time spent, and 

on many occasions, where members will 

complete a tour of duty sitting in a van. 

This is not a bad thing; it means that they 

are not required, but must be in position 

if there is an escalation of public disorder. 

The units wait in full kit; ready to go. 

Tactics are in place right down to the way 

that they are deployed from their marked 

vehicles. The line up is pre-rehearsed. 

The inspector and sergeants are the 

only ones equipped with radio headsets, 

so it is their role to relay the information 

to the members of the unit. Command 

ultimately comes from a Gold or Silver 

command; which Chief Superintendent 

Michael Feehan is qualified as. Chief 

Superintendent Michael Feehan and 

Superintendent John Roche are the two 

senior trained officers in public order 

tactics and deployment in the country. 

The command centre would generally 

be located somewhere close to the event 

and would have a video downlink 

available from the Garda Air Support 

Unit, CCTV cameras, etc. Updates might 

“THAT DAY WAS A PERFECT 

EXAMPLE OF THE DIFFERENT 

MANOEUVRES REQUIRED 

TO TACKLE THE VIOLENCE 

OF A CROWD THAT HAS 

FAILED TO RESPOND TO 

UNIFORMED GARDAÍ” 

also be relayed from an inspector or 

superintendent on the ground. 

HIGH PROFILE 

Members of the dog unit are trained to 

the same standard, as are the Garda 

Mounted Unit as they are often deployed 

together. Members of the public order 

units must be fully trained to allow 

members of the specialist units to be 

deployed to the frontline, the attack dogs 

and horses are brought up through the 

lines as a means of clearing a hostile 

crowd. To produce a level of realism in 

training, members are bombarded with 

‘bricks’ (wooden blocks) and are sprayed 

with water as a constant 

distraction. All these 

water bottles are 

recycled; the carbon 

footprint is kept to a 

minimum. 


In 2004, the Accession Day was the 

largest deployment of public order units. 

Declan Downey was on the Navan Road 

with many of the DMR and country 

Public Order Units that day. He said, 

“That day was a perfect example of how 

a public order unit works – and the 

different manoeuvres required to tackle 

the violence of a crowd that has failed to 

respond to uniformed Gardaí.” 

At that time there was a great political 

demand for units; especially in 2003 and 

2004 when Ireland hosted the EU 

Presidency. Since then, the units had a 

high profile at the Love Ulster 

resurgence, and were deployed in 

substantial numbers for the Ireland versus 

England rugby international at Croke 

Park; though in the event they remained 

contained in their holding areas close to 

the events, in the vans. 

There is an increasing need for the 

units to be deployed in smaller numbers, 

more frequently. Cocaine-fuelled violence 

has crept into domestic soccer and is 

showing its face in both rural and urban 

areas at the weekends. GR 



Garda_Nov_07_p11:Garda_Mar_07-p4-29 11/9/07 10:29 AM Page 11 

THE PERFECT KIT FOR 

GAA Coaching? 

By Neil Ward 

When I was handed a box 

containing a ‘Fun Do’ pack 

from the GAA I was 

unsure what I could write 

about it. I didn’t know what to do with it; 

yet after a week or two of looking over 

the contents I am genuinely excited that I 

am just the person to implement the 

training programme for the young people 

in my neighbourhood. What magic is 

contained within the waterproof, durable 

container that has filled me with 

confidence that I can make a real 

difference? 

I never played football or hurling, so 

the first time my father-in-law took me 

for a drink in the local GAA club I felt 

quite intimidated. I didn’t look anyone in 

the eye and I talked quietly within my 

own gathering. Yet now, ten years later I 

am keen to become a coach, certainly a 

mentor, to one of the club’s youth teams. 

Sure, in the intervening years we have 

had three children, the eldest two boys 

are going up through the ranks and our 

daughter is keen to join them as soon as 

she passes her next birthday. The younger 

son played his first hurling and football 

exhibition match during the festival week 

when he was just 2 years and 10 months 

old. The Dubs are getting them younger 

now; expect great teams turning out in 

blue in 20 years time. 

Just to double check that I hadn’t been 

sold something from a medicine show; 

that I had not been duped into buying into 

an idea along the lines of the emperor’s 

new clothes, I took the pack up to the 

dedicated mentors from my son’s under 

8’s team – they liked the look of it and 

took it to the coach. Word came back that 

he was getting a little green eyed about 

the contents of this box. 

Each GAA Fun Do Learning Resource 

Pack is tailored for either gaelic football 

or hurling depending on the coach’s 

needs. Each pack contains an interactive 

DVD ROM, a skills DVD, a nursery 

DVD and supplementary manuals on, 

GAA Go Games, catch and kick coaching 

classes or lift and strike coaching classes, 

a coach handbook and a nursery manual. 

The DVDs are filmed by some great 

cameramen; and in many examples top 

players are filmed using a specialist slow 

motion camera borrowed from the sport 

of cricket. The players at the peak of their 

talents are shown doing all the basic 

skills correctly, and in slow motion. The 

manual then tells you all you need to 

teach these skills and some fun games 

and their rules to get young people 

moving in the right way to improve their 

basic balance and co-ordination. Things 

you can’t be taught when you have 

passed through puberty and into 

adulthood. 

“We wanted a Resource Pack for 

people who are coaching kids,” explains 

Pat Daly,Director of GAA Games. ”We 

decided to fuse technology, sport, 

education and health and bring them all 

together in a manner that would ensure 

kids were being introduced to the games 

in a quality way. 

“There are over four hours of top class 

video footage on the DVD ROM. This 

footage is integrated with over 1,000 

activities between Hurling and 

Football all of which are 

complemented by a series of written 

manuals. 

“What we are 

trying to do is to 

facilitate people 

who are involved 

in coaching kids 

and thus ensure 

they’re doing the 

best job possible. 

“We are trying to 

ensure that the 

activities are 

referenced to 

childhood needs.” 

Tom 

Humphries wrote 

101 reasons why 

WIN A KIT 

football is better than soccer; and most of 

these can be applied to any sport where 

you compare an amateur game and a 

professional circuit. For me the best 

reason is that on a Monday morning a 

premiership soccer player might launch a 

new sportswear range or a new perfume; 

the GAA player might sell you meat in 

the butcher’s or teach your children – or 

police the streets. No contest. 

We have 10 packs to give away; but we 

want to know that they have gone to a 

good home and we can get some 

feedback on their use. 

An Garda Síochána has such a long 

tradition of involvement with the 

community and the GAA. I know of at 

least one Garda Juvenile Liaison Officer 

who is single-handedly credited with 

reviving his local club in a rural area; 

every passing out parade features many 

probationers who have dedicated their 

free time and energy to coaching 

community teams. Such is the bond. 

The GAA have spent over €½million 

creating this resource; so each pack has a 

physical price of €100 – but its value is 

priceless. We are keen to get our 10 

packs into the right hands; there is no 

such thing as a free lunch – we want 

applications in the form of a written letter 

and we want to follow the individual 

stories as the packs get out there. 

Send your letters to The Editor at the 

usual address before Friday, 7th 

December 2007 and we will do our best 

to have the packs out before Christmas. 

Include a telephone number. 

For more information check out 

www.gaa.ie GR 

COMMUNITY COMMITMENT 



NEW STATION FOR FINGLAS ahead 

After a long campaign 

by members in Finglas 

a new site for a Garda 

station was secured. 

The building is set to 

be a flagship station. 

Neil Ward reports. 

NEW STATION: FINGLAS 


The new station in Finglas is well 

under way and progressing 

towards completion ahead of the 

scheduled finish next summer. 

There are currently around 75 members 

working in the station on the North Road, 

and they will be transferring to the 

Mellowes Road station that has been built 

to accommodate the predicted 130 Gardaí 

necessary to police the sub-district in the 

next 20 years. 

Members threatened a walk out of the 

current station in 2005, after a 20-year 

campaign failed to get Finglas Garda 

station replaced or re-developed. The 

station party threatened to take protest 

action and pull out of the station and 

report to the district headquarters in Cabra. 

This was the third time that members had 

threatened to walk out in a 20-year 

campaign for suitable accommodation; 

nine sites all proved unsuitable, 

unfavourable or not available until the new 

site on Mellowes Road was proffered. 

GRA Representative Garda Dave Levins 

said, “As the senior man I was prepared 

to lead them out of the station – and I 

will lead them in to the new one. We are 

delighted that a new station is becoming a 

reality.” 

Dave Levins praised the courage and 

commitment in the face of adversity by 

those younger members who were 

prepared to protest at conditions to the 

extent that they are allowed under 

legislation. 

“We have a high turnover of staff in 

Finglas. There are few senior members in 

Finglas, yet it was the fortitude of the 

members who were prepared to walk out 

of this station that secured the new 

development. 

“The forward management experts 

from Garda Headquarters have suggested 

that the strength of the station party for 

Finglas in 2025 will need to house 130; 

nearly double. 

“The new station is planned and being 

built for the population of Finglas subdistrict 

and the station party so that it is – 

for the first time – it appears to have been 

done right. The time has been taken to


Artist’s impression of the 

‘future-proofed’ station 

of schedule 

get the formula right.” 

The current building accommodated 

fifty people in the 1980s, whereas the 

staffing level grew to 75 by 2000. The 

station was regressing while Finglas was 

rapidly developing. Members complained 

that they were not given the very basic 

tools of their trade – even the parade 

room was been earmarked to become a 

CCTV room. 

Violent prisoners still have to be 

brought in through the public reception 

area – watched by members of the public. 

The station suffered from a total lack of 

space and facilities. There is nowhere to 

talk to anyone in confidence or victims of 

crime. Any offices that we have are used 

for dual purposes and anyone is likely to 

walk in on any private conversation. This 

is set to change. The new station will 

have they a custody suite appropriate for 

a busy station; six cells and two detention 

areas are being built close to the station 

orderly. 

The new divisional stores, with 

reinforced concrete walls, is being 

purpose built to best European practice. It 

will store all property that comes into 

Garda possession, including guns. 

Garda rank and file were represented at 

the planning stages and so far are 

satisfied that everything they asked for 

has been considered and provided. “We 

will have everything that we need to 

police an area like this”, said Levins, “As 

long as we are left to do our job, the new 

station should be suitable for the next 30 

or 40 years. For once they got the 

formula right and hopefully they won’t 

mess with it. 

“It’s good the people of Finglas to see 

that they are getting a state of the art 

police station and management are taking 

the area seriously. They have the space to 

increase the manpower; what we don’t 

need is to be weighed down with 

specialist units.” 

Finglas Garda station has had asbestos 

tiles removed since 2003 and some 

security features were installed as Garda 

cars were damaged. On one occasion the 

wheel nuts were loosened on the front 

FINGLAS 

Reinforced concrete walls 

for the new divisional stores 

Garda Dave Levins 

checks on progress 

nearside wheel of a member’s car, and the 

wheel came off as he drove home. 

There new station is set to provide 

enough secure parking spaces for the 

station’s needs, and the layout has been 

allocated with sufficient space for future 

expansion. Though there are concerns 

that they high level of camaraderie and 

sense of belonging will be reduced as 

members escape the adverse conditions 

that so often unite them. 

Garda Dave Levins said, “We have 

always had tremendous morale in the 

station and some of that might inevitably 

be lost in a modern station; but at least 

we will have the facility to do our job. 

The camaraderie might not be the same, 

but it’s a price we will happily pay. 

“It’s a more professional and 

appropriate building. Finglas has rapidly 

expanded, there has been a colossal 

building programme; both residential and 

commercial. Industrial estates now stretch 

from the city to the airport through the 

district and new shopping centre, 

Charlestown, as just opened.”GR 

NEW STATION: FINGLAS 


Garda_Nov_07_p15:Garda_Mar_07-p4-29 11/9/07 11:05 AM Page 15 

“ By the age of 15, young people 

have largely formed their attitudes 

and if they are incorrectly formed 

it is hard to alter them,” said 

Garda Tim O’Connell, “That’s why we are 

supporting this initiative in Kerry. 

“It’s easy for an adult to tell a child to 

just say ‘no’; but from a child’s 

perspective that is not always easy or 

straightforward. They have to be equipped 

with the coping mechanisms and life skills 

to be able to do that.” 

Kerry Life Education is a youth 

orientated initiative that is proactively 

going into primary schools to help 

students understand healthy life choices. 

It is one segment in an overall response 

to the issues of substance misuse, group 

dynamics such as peer pressure and 

bullying; and healthy living. 

Life Education is an internationally 

recognised organisation operating in 15 

countries; in a way Kerry have bought in 

to a franchise and adapted it to an Irish 

perspective. Two fully equipped mobile 

units (each costing €120,000) are now 

accessed through the primary school 

network by over 16,000 young people 

each year. 

Kerry Gardaí are on of the main 

supporters of the initiative, with juvenile 

liaison officer Tim O’Connell also filling 

the role as press officer for the 

programme. 

He said, “Life education is one 

dimension of a multi-agency response to 

the serious issues of alcohol and drug 

misuse. 

“It allows children to explore in their 

own way. The language used is different 

for children of different ages; and there are 

different interactive teaching techniques 

used from puppetry to role play. The state 

of the art unit has a nightscape built in, 

showing the stars – and good ways of 

making you more energetic.” 

The point behind this is that it lays the 

foundation blocks to a more advanced 

learning as children go through the years. 

Two professional trained educators deliver 

an age-appropriate message; they start of 

with children in first class and they talk 

about the importance of brushing teeth; the 

importance of sleep and what it does for 

your body. Then it progresses to nutrition. 

Children are taught that if they don’t 

like fruit and vegetables they can be 

LIFE EDUCATION INITIATIVE IN KERRY 

KERRY GARDAÍ SUPPORT PREVENTION 

Back L-R: Cllr. Sheila Casey; Ursula Coffey (Principal Holy Cross Primary School); Supt Pat O Sullivan; Inspector Joe 

Moore; Supt M Maher; Mike Frank Russell (Holy Cross Primary School); Chris Barrow (Kerry Life Manager); Chief 

Supt Liam Hayes; Cllr. Sean O Grady; Inspector Donal Ashe. Front L-R: Garda Tim O Connell, J.L.O. with primary 

school students of Holy Cross Primary School and Seamy Whitty with ‘Harold the Giraffe’. 

Superintendents John Riordan and M O’Donnovan were unable to attend on the day for the photographs 

eaten in different ways and made more 

interesting; such as through smoothies. 

Older children are taught about how 

blood moves around the body; and what 

cigarettes actually do to the bloodstream 

and organs. Children typically spend 

around 40 minutes in the unit, the focus of 

life education. Other work is carried out 

both before and after in the school and 

each class in each school receives at least 

one visit from the unit every year. 

The long-term objective is to develop 

something similar for the secondary 

schools. 

Chief Superintendent Liam Hayes 

recently visited one of the mobile units 

and continued Garda support for the 

project. He said, “Kerry Life Education is 

providing a very appropriate preventative 

educational response to drug and alcohol 

issues. 

“Furthermore it also includes parent 

sessions so in essence it is a very 

impressive all-inclusive family response 

and deserves the full support of An Garda 

Síochána.” 

It has been proved in the UK, and now 

Kerry has two units operating across the 

county. Tim O’Connell said, “The 

schools are incredibly satisfied with it. 

Word of mouth is recommending it 

around the county, and we imagine that it 

will become a national programme. 

“Bullying is a big issue within schools 

and this teaches children a mechanism to 

deal with peer pressure and aspects of 

bullying. It explains methods of dealing 

with sadness; or how to say no in a 

comfortable way. Proper life skills. 

“It’s a very exciting and innovative 

project.” 

Ursula Coffey is Principal of Holy 

Cross Primary School in Killarney. She 

said, “The system of education is really 

effective in the way that it operates. All 

of the programmes are progressive and 

relevant to each young person’s life. It 

allows the young person to explore issues 

such as how consuming substances 

affects our bodies and minds, the issue of 

bullying, nutrition and decision making. 

The proof of how effective this 

programme is that year after year, the 

children are excited and enthusiastic about 

the visit of the mobile unit. It is one of the 

highlights of our academic year.” 

Con Cremin, Chairman of Kerry Life 

Education explained how the programme 

was developed. He said, “We organise an 

annual national conference around the 

themes of substance misuse.” Previous 

conference speakers included Philomena 

Lynott, mother of the late Phil Lynott and 

Barbara Best McNarry, sister of the late 

George Best. 

The 2007 conference was co-hosted 

with the Southern Region Drugs Task 

Force, Minister Pat Carey attended and 

was ‘extremely impressed’ with Kerry 

Life Education. GR 

LIFE EDUCATION INITIATIVE IN KERRY 



Unit A L-R: Garda Niall O’Halloran, Mary Dorgan, 

Pat Naughton and Martin Taggart 

we’ve come a 

LONG WAY 

Members in Tipperary district think it is typical of rural policing, 

and both operation anvil and an augmented traffic corps are 

paying dividends. Neil Ward reports. 

TIPPERARY: A LITMUS TEST FOR CONTEMPORARY RURAL POLICING 

16 � GARDA REVIEW � NOVEMBER 2007


Tipperary town is growing now, but 

for several years it looked as if 

the Celtic Tiger was going to 

bypass it. Now there are new 

housing estates being built, the 

construction started in the last two to 

three years. This was the first major new 

private housing to be built, and three 

major supermarkets have followed. 

“It’s not industry that is bringing 

people to Tipperary because unfortunately 

we don’t have any. We have only one 

factory left”, said Sergeant Don Mitchell 

i/c, “Most of it is a dormitory town for 

Limerick. It is a commuter town that has 

a lot of empty properties during working 

hours. 

“But Tipperary district has one other 

huge advantage – it has probably the 

shortest commuting time to Dublin, 

Limerick and Cork than almost anywhere 

in the country. At the moment you can get 

a non-stop train to Dublin that takes 

about an hour and 40 minutes in the 

mornings. 

“It gets into Dublin about 10 o’clock 

which is perfect for anyone practising in 

the Four Courts. The proposal is that 

there will be a train every hour and that 

will make it more and more attractive; 

similarly to Cork.” 

Sergeant Don Mitchell has been 

attached to Tipperary Town Garda station 

since 1989; and has seen the dramatic 

changes in this time. 

A new station was built and opened in 

1993. The old station next door is being 

renovated and will become the national 

headquarters of the Private Security 

Authority (PSA) as part of the 

government’s decentralisation programme. 

This will further add to congestion in this 

area; especially with parking as some 40 

staff are expected to be employed there. 

SPACE 

Detective Garda John Keane is one of the 

district representatives for the GRA. For 

any member working in the station, they 

generally agree that the accommodation 

is not the biggest issue facing them; some 

of the sub-district stations are the ones in 

need of urgent attention. 

John Keane said, “This is a reasonably 

new two-storey station that was opened in 

1993. We have a lack of space here now, 

but what Garda station doesn’t have that 

problem. We have three detectives based 

in a small office. Parking is a big issue in 

Tipperary. 

“Parking is made awkward on the days 

TIPPERARY 

“PARKING IS MADE 

AWKWARD ON THE DAYS 

THAT THE CATTLE MARKET 

IS OPEN; TWO DAYS A 

WEEK RIGHT NEXT DOOR 

TO THE STATION” 

that the cattle market is open; two days a 

week right next door to the station. This 

station is not future-proof; but it is still 

serviceable.” 

The old station is a big building; that 

used to be shared between the Gardaí and 

the Department of Agriculture (who 

occupied the former station sergeant’s 

living quarters). The new station was built 

in the yard; and some feel that the Garda 

needs might have been better served by 

remaining in the old station; such is the 

size of the building. 

Don Mitchell said, “Now we are very 

short of space. Many vehicles are 

impounded under article 41 of the Road 

Traffic Act and there is nowhere to store 

them.” 

Garda Tony Chearnley is one of the 

GRA divisional representatives; he is 

based in the sub-district of Oola. He said, 

“Some of the outside stations are in very 

poor repair. Doon is a bad one; the 

solitary member, Garda Kieran Beegan, is 

working out of a portable cabin. They 

have had a kitchen added – but in 2007 to 

be trying to provide a service to the 

public out of this kind of accommodation 

is not really on. Certainly prisoners would 

not put up with it; and prisoners’ rights 

groups certainly would not put up with it; 

especially if you housed prisoners in the 

same conditions that we have to work in. 

“The station in Doon is too hot in 

summer and too cold in the winter; or 

cold and damp all year round like my 

station in Oola. The big old stations are 

totally unsuitable. Oola is a big old house 

and I occupy the only two rooms that 

have power in them and heat in the 

winter. 

“It’s no more challenging in policing 

terms than any other rural town. They all 

have their problems especially at 

weekends with public order issues. Every 

weekend of nights I am brought into Tipp 

town to augment the regular units there.” 

Emly is a sub-station of Tipp town – as 

Doon is a sub-station of Cappaghwhite. 

Tipperary is the district headquarters of 

eight sub-districts. The Garda in the sub- 




Superintendent 

Gerard Redmond 

station reports to the sergeant in the 

parent station; while it seems confusing 

to an outsider, because the other stations 

only have a Garda member as well but 

they are an autonomous station – so the 

Garda is acting for the sergeant. 

“It is not unusual. The distinction has 

become blurred because you have a lot of 

one-man stations,” said Don Mitchell, 

“The station party has not increased as 

much as we would like. The average unit 

strength is five; and we have a detective 

branch that is 1+3. 

“We often have only one car crew out 

and they can be 25 miles away from 

another part of the district over poor rural 

roads. There is very little you can do 

about that. The area is reasonably well 

policed with the resources we have 

available to us; in fairness we have had 

good resources in recent times. Operation 

anvil was a big help to us. We augment 

our units with public order units at 

weekends and that’s certainly a help. 

“If you don’t have the extra personnel 

and you get a call to the outlying areas in 

the district then the car has to go there 

and you have nobody in town at all. Now 

we can use the extra resources to still 

police the town and use the district patrol 

car to police the district and respond to 

the calls in the district. At night we are 

definitely going to get calls from both the 

town and the rural sub-districts as well.” 

IMAGINATION 

Garda Tony Chearnley believes that 

staffing issues are the biggest challenge 

in rural policing. He said, “Another issue 

of health and safety that we try to achieve 

is always having two members out in the 

patrol car, especially at night. 

Unfortunately this does not always 

happen. Often it is reality that we have 

only one member in the station and one 

in the patrol car. Due to manpower 

shortages we can be down to two people, 

the bare minimum. This is often the truth 

in policing today.” 

Superintendent Gerard Redmond has 

been the district officer for Tipperary 

since May. His initial impression is that 

additional resources have proved effective. 

He said, “Operation Anvil has been an 

addition to us here because it gives us the 

flexibility apart from dealing with the 

bread-and-butter work where we must 

have the station manned and the patrol car 

on the road. We can use imagination and 

look at crime trends and problems in 

different areas; we can profile and target 

issues. We can be proactive. 

TIPPERARY 

“Burglaries are down 17%, burglaries 

by 20%. Thefts from shops have increased 

by 13%. Additional shops and shoppers 

have been brought to town; the increased 

activity brings everything with it. 

“The increase in the strength of the 

traffic units might also be a reason why 

headline crime has reduced overall in the 

region. There are additional traffic patrol 

cars and more checkpoints which has 

created a more visible presence on the 

roads; in relation to drink driving, 

dangerous driving and overloaded trucks. 

For the criminal carrying drugs or 

travelling from area to area, they see a 

Garda presence that increases their 

chance of being caught. I think that has 

paid dividends. 

“It is untold what crime and other antisocial 

behaviour has been prevented by 

the extra traffic units around the country.” 

The main policing issues here from the 

perspective of the sergeant in charge are 

the usual public order problems that are 

endemic at the weekends and drugs; 

cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis. He 

believes the main contributor to public 

order problems is alcohol-in combination 

with cocaine that ‘certainly aggravates 

the situation substantially’. 

Headline crime is down this year. The 

district still suffers daytime burglaries 

because of the empty houses. Mostly 

these are committed by people coming 

into the district and they are gone by the 

time the burglary is discovered when 

people get home from work. Members 

think that the criminals are coming in 

from Limerick and some from Cork 

because we are in a line between them; 

then there are the travelling criminals that 

could come from anywhere. 

Sergeant 

Don Mitchell i/c 




TENTACLES 

Detective Garda John Keane is a member 

of the district detective unit. He said, “We 

have our problem with drugs, which are in 

every town and village in the country now. 

Operation anvil was an advantage, a great 

addition; we had two extra people working 

every day out in a car. Even intelligence 

wise, we could place them in any area 

where we have crime. 

“We have a very big district and we are 

very close to Limerick. Criminals in 

Limerick could steal a car and come in 

and do some burglaries in our sub-districts 

and be back in the city before they are 

even reported. This creates a lot of hassle 

for us, so we have tried to locate anvil on 

the border; both in the day and at night. 

We have been following the trends of the 

burglaries. 

“We work closely with the divisional 

drugs unit and we are often involved in 

operations with them. It is a substantial 

part of our job. Many of the other crimes 

are related to the drug users. Members of 

the major city drug gangs might not live in 

the district but they would certainly have 

tentacles out here; dealing and the like. 

Tipperary Town 

“YOU CAN’T ASK 

DIRECTIONS AS NO ONE 

LIKES TO SEE A GARDA ON 

THEIR DOORSTEP AT THREE 

O’CLOCK IN THE 

MORNING. WE DON’T 

COME BEARING GIFTS” 

Every now and again they move in for a 

while and then move on.” 

Three of the sub-districts are in east Co. 

Limerick and are all within 20 minutes of 

Limerick city; dysfunctional parts of 

Limerick city where the sprawling housing 

estates have anti-social problems, social 

issues and drugs. It’s fairly spread out. 

In the station there is the Superintendent 

and one Inspector, Paschal Feeney the 

current President of AGSI. There is no 

traffic corps based here; the new corps is 

in Cahir. 

The station party is young; very few of 

the station party commute the 25 miles 

from Clonmel or Limerick (Tipperary is 

half way between them). The socialising in 



the station is primarily within each unit, 

but the station party will get together for 

leaving events. 

Garda Tony Chearnley had been in the 

district since 1993, and is one of the 

longest serving members in a young 

station party. He said, “That in itself can 

cause problems; young people working on 

their own without the local knowledge can 

mean they don’t know where they are 

going. 

“Somebody can be on their first day in 

the job and they are out in the car trying to 

do something. It can be a problem – we 

believe that the cars require some kind of 

global positioning system, even to locate 

places afterwards. We waste a lot of time 

going to alarm calls when we don’t know 

where the place is. We might have the 

name of a house in a townland; and yet 

there are no signs. 

“Unless you know the place, you are 

lost. You can’t ask directions as no one 

likes to see a Garda on their doorstep at 

three o’clock in the morning. We don’t 

come bearing gifts and bringing good 

news. 

“It takes a long time to build this local


knowledge with a junior station party. It 

takes a lot of work to glean that 

information and retain it.” 

NEWLY PROMOTED 

Geographically this is a very big district 

that is mostly rural with lots of mountain. 

There is a very wooded area that is 

scarcely populated and very remote. 

Tipperary is a district where newly 

promoted superintendents are appointed 

to learn their craft and then they move on. 

There have been 21 superintendents in 

the past 37 years. The current 

Superintendent explains how he sees this 

in the context of the district. 

Superintendent Gerard Redmond said, 

“For the first three months you are 

getting a feel for your surroundings and 

adjusting to your new challenges and then 

for the second three months you are 

starting to get on top of things and after 

six months I am starting to put my own 

stamp on things. 

“Policing problems tend to be of a 

similar nature no matter where you are; it’s 

only the volume that differs. Some places 

by their very nature and their population 

will dictate what problems or the extent of 

the problems you are going to face.” 

There has been unemployment here 

that has created the kind of social 

problems for society in general and 

policing in particular. This is a RAPID 

area for regeneration and they have 

recently been granted a Garda youth 

diversion project. 

Gerard Redmond said, “We are going 

to be working with the marginalised 

youth in the town. I regard this as our 

input to the town, working with the youth 

services. It’s a major buy-in by us. 

“You get a positive response from the 

people of the town because of that. I 

would hate to regard our work as being 

focussed towards bringing juveniles to 

court, and prosecuting them. The juvenile 

liaison officer system is designed to divert 

young people away from a life of crime. 

“Early intervention is the secret and I 

am big into that. I would rather see a 

young person who has gone wayward 

receive everything that we can do to get 

them back on track. I would see court as 

a last resort, when everything else has 

failed. We have our first application to 

issue an ASBO before the courts; the next 

step is court but we decided that we would 

try this route first and I am keen to see 

how that goes. It’s a drawn out process but 

it is worth the effort if it works.” 

NEW LEADERS 

Nora Hoare has been the Finance Officer 

for the past three years, and she was the 

clerical officer here for the 34 years 

before that. She has worked for 21 

superintendents; and she outlined the 

changes in working practices and in the 

attitude towards management. 

She said, “Changes in our work have 

been huge in this time; computerisation is 

the number one factor. I came here to a 

murder investigation in 1970, when we 

had the black typewriters where you put in 

12 sheets of carbon paper to make copies. 

“The computerisation of Garda pay was 

a big change for me, because I came from 

a time when sergeants had a big monthly 

pay sheet with allowances on it and they 

were so long. That was a huge change; as 

was PULSE. 

“Tipperary always had a great 

atmosphere, and as a civilian I was 

always made to feel very included on the 

team. Others have not been included as 

much, that’s why I think it is brilliant for 

the civilians now that there is a new 

career structure in place for them.” 

Nora Hoare was one of the first 

civilians to be employed in a Garda 

station. She has worked for 21 

superintendents in this time; including 

former Commissioner Pat Byrne. Because 

of the situation of Tipperary we get a lot 

of newly promoted superintendents, many 

are new to the procedures and Nora 

provided continuity and often taught them 

administration. 

TIPPERARY 

Detective Garda John Keane and Garda Kevin O’Keeffe 

She said, “Superintendents come here 

newly promoted and they then look to 

move back to their areas. They come and 

they go. Felix McKenna worked here 

then went on to assets; Pat Byrne was an 

inspiration and Paul Moran – a new 

inspirational leader was here. The new 

leaders are brilliant; a lot of it stems from 

the new superintendents courses – they are 

more academically prepared for the job. 

“There is a big change in the style of 

management; a more ‘open-door’ style. I 

came here at a time when Chiefs would 

come here on inspection and the lads 

(superintendents) would be terrified and 

would be glad when they had gone. Now 

they are leaders of the team – captain of 

the ship. That is why I think civilians are 

going to play a bigger role. We were lost 

for years.” 

This seems to sum up the working 

spirit in Tipperary district. Detective 

Garda John Keane agrees, “We have 

always had a great working relationship 

in this station; if we have any issues they 

are always ironed out very fast. 

“There are great working relationships 

here between all ranks; making it a good 

station to come to.” 

Garda Tony Chearnley concluded, 

“We have always had a good rapport with 

the superintendents even though we have 

gone through a lot of them over the years. 

Most issues have been resolved locally; 

although we do have outstanding issues 

with the state of the sub-district 

stations.” GR 




Transport Police in Washington DC 

are actively targeting mobile 

phone, MP3 and PDA users 

because often they are not paying 

attention to what’s going on around them 

and are therefore subject to crime. It’s a 

concept that seems utterly futuristic to 

Irish passengers, who unlike most of their 

European counterparts, travel on public 

transport without any police presence at 

all. In Vancouver, taser guns have been 

distributed to offices who patrol SkyTrain 

stations, adding to an arsenal that already 

includes handguns. 

In Minneapolis, the Metro Transit’s 

$2.4 million plan to improve security on 

transit buses include greater police 

presence, broadened partnerships with 

local police, retrofitting buses with 

PUBLIC TRANSPORT 

TRANSPORT POLICE 

Assaults against 

passengers, robbery, 

ticket fraud, drug 

dealing and terrorism. 

Just some of the tasks 

a transport police faces 

daily. Ireland is one of 

the few jurisdictions 

in Europe that doesn’t 

have one. June 

Caldwell reports. 

enhanced multi-camera digital recording 

systems, and increasing community 

outreach efforts. In other European 

jurisdictions, police officers and bombsniffing 

dogs patrol subway and train 

stations in the wake of recent terrorist 

threats. All in all, everywhere around us, 

transport police are playing a bigger 

better role in public policing, everywhere 

that is, except Ireland. 

POTENTIAL 

Fine Gael Transport Spokesman Fergus 

O’Dowd TD believes that passengers in 

Dublin are becoming increasingly 

concerned about their safety on public 

transport. “The Departments of Justice 

and Transport must examine the 

possibility of deploying Gardaí on public 




routes in order to protect public safety 

and deter potential criminals or trouble 

makers,” he said. “Other jurisdictions 

operate successful transport police units 

or forces, and there would be potential 

within the Gardaí for a public transport 

corps. 

“The Garda Traffic Corps has already 

proved itself highly effective, albeit in the 

face of under-resourcing and the Justice 

Minister’s refusal to allow Traffic Corps 

members to operate exclusively on traffic 

issues. I will be recommending that the 

Government actively considers the 

creation of a dedicated public transport 

corps. 

“With the public becoming increasingly 

concerned about safety on public 

transport, this issue must be addressed by 

the Government.” 

Transport police are a specialised 

police agency or unit employed by a 

common carrier, which could be a 

railway, bus line, other transport carrier, 

or the state. Most countries have them or 

at least most ‘big’ cities have some form 

of dedicated transport police. Their 

mandate is to prevent and investigate 

crimes committed against the carrier or 

by or against passengers or other 

customers of the carrier, or those 

committed on the carrier’s property. 

In Britain, most of the rail system, 

including the London Underground, is 

policed by a national transport police 

agency, the British Transport Police. 

Some transit police have full policing 

powers, while in other areas they have 

limited powers. 

In Ireland, there is scant statistics kept 

with regard to crime on the public 

transport system. News stories come and 

go – like last year with regard to the Luas 

users who parked at the car park at the 

Red Cow ‘Park and Ride’ facility their 

cars were systematically vandalised. It 

meant that travelling by train was no 

longer feasible. Commuters reported that 

windscreens were being shattered on an 

almost daily basis. 

Incidents of crime on Dublin City’s 

DART were also reported but aside from 

busy periods like Christmas or football 

matches, etc., there is no extra security 

allocated to trains or buses. Last year in 

the Daily Mail, it was reported that 

Gardaí had noticed a significant increase 

in crime such as burglary along the 

LUAS line itself, and concluded that 

criminals and thieves use the system as a 

getaway. There was, apparently, a 

discernible increase in crime levels in 

affluent south Dublin neighbourhoods 

near the Luas green line, which runs from 

St Stephen’s Green to Sandyford. 

Criminals are effectively using the trams 

as getaway vehicles. Stops between 

Ranelagh and Dundrum were the worst 

affected by the crime wave. 

DISRUPTING 

According to Dougie Keil, a serving 

police officer and General Secretary of 

the Scottish Police Federation for more 


“WITH THE PUBLIC 

BECOMING INCREASINGLY 

CONCERNED ABOUT 

SAFETY ON PUBLIC 

TRANSPORT, THIS ISSUE 

MUST BE ADDRESSED BY 

THE GOVERNMENT” 

than 30 years, trains in most city 

locations can be used to carry and 

disguise all kinds of crime. “Before 9/11 

drugs were always transported by air, for 

instance, but now international drug 

pushers believe that air security is too 

great a risk,” he explains. 

“The roads in the UK are no longer a 

safe haven for drug hauls since we 

introduced automated vehicle registration 

numbers that can tell us very quickly if 

an approaching vehicle is stolen, etc. But 

the trains continue to be a safe enough 

way to carry all kinds of cargo. The 

bottom line is that if the public have a 

concern about safety on their transport 

system, then a dedicated police presence 

should at least be looked at. We could not 

even imagine daily life here in the UK 

without a transport police.” 

The British Transport Police is the 

national police force for the railways 

providing a policing service to rail 

operators, their staff and passengers 

throughout England, Wales and Scotland. 

The Force is also responsible for policing 

the London Underground system, 

Docklands Light Railway, the Glasgow 

Subway, the Midland Metro tram system 

and Croydon Tramlink. As well as 

ordinary police duties (transport police in 

the UK train in the exact same way as 

ordinary police) – crackdowns on crime 

are a regular occurrence. 

Earlier this year one such ‘crackdown’ 

resulted in 73 people being arrested on 

public transport in south-east London. 

The aim of the operation was to tackle 

the high volume of robberies, drug 

peddling and anti-social behaviour. The 

five-day operation targeted stations and 

travel routes from Lambeth to Croydon, 

around the A23 corridor. Scotland Yard 

said the initiative was also aimed at 

disrupting criminals who use the public 

transit system to commit offences in 

other boroughs. 

Other such offences against crime on 

transport systems took place in the North 




of Ireland, when the PSNI in Ballymena, 

for instance, teamed up with Translink 

recently to allow community beat officers 

free transport on town service buses. It 

was a move to increase visibility and 

make passengers feel safe. The initiative 

was a deterrent to anti-social behaviour 

on the buses in their catchment area. 

In theory, additional resources to police 

public transport in Ireland could 

potentially pay for themselves, when 

offset against the cost of vandalism and 

assault on un-policed networks. For 

instance, Translink, in a recent count 

suffered over 7,000 incidents across the 

Northern Ireland bus and rail network in 

one year, including assaults on staff and 

passengers, vandalism, stone throwing and 

civil unrest. These incidents cost over £7 

million in damage repairs, revenue loss 

because of interrupted services, insurance 

claims and additional staff cover. 

UNREPORTED 

Buses in Dublin’s capital are often seen as 

even more dangerous than trains, with high 

incidents of pick pocketing, robbery and 

assaults. One particular bus route that 

travels in the same direction as the Red 

Line Luas saw a rake of complaints from 

drivers who were sick of having their buses 

smashed up, windows broken and so on. 

“WE ARE STILL VERY SMALL 

FRY COMPARED TO OUR 

UK OR EUROPEAN 

NEIGHBOURS. THE 

DEMOGRAPHICS ARE 

HOWEVER, CHANGING” 

Even on the independently-run 

irishbuses.com website, a general 

overview of city centre bus services 

points to crime; ‘It is NOT recommended 

to walk from Heuston Station to Dublin 

Centre’ the walk, while in a straight 

direction along the River Liffey situated 

alongside the station, is along a congested 

traffic routes & parts of the journey are 

through heavy traffic and undesirable 

places. Tourists carrying luggage could 

also become easy targets for crime. 

According to The Irish Tourist 

Assistance Service, the biggest problem 

with tourists using public transport tends 

to be on inter-city buses, not trains. A 

spokesperson said that they receive calls 

from tourists who have their bags 

snatched on buses, although it suspects 

that a lot of these incidents go 

unreported. 


It is well documented that a lack of 

personal security is a barrier to travel, and 

particularly so for women and evening 

travel. “I would say it’s getting towards 

that way now where it may be time to 

think of a dedicated police unit just for 

transport,” said Sergeant Kevin Donohue 

of the Traffic Unit in Dublin Castle. “At 

the moment coming up to Christmas, you 

have the likes of Operation Freeflow and 

so on, and at bus terminus in Dublin city, 

you will see a far greater police presence. 

“Certainly if it goes as far as building a 

Metro system, it will eventually become 

inevitable that we will have some kind of 

transport police, but as yet, we are still 

very small fry compared to our UK or 

European neighbours. The demographics 

are however, changing.” 

There are now greater concentrations of 

people in the city, with greater numbers 

using public transport systems. At the 

moment, the Luas is the only system that 

operates relatively late and there has been 

trouble reported. Stations such as 

Donnybrook pay more attention to DART 

stops and Pearse Street Garda station pay 

extra attention to the central bus terminus 

in Dublin, but in all likelihood, one day 

in the future, we will see the emergence 

of a transport police. It’s just a matter of 

when. GR 




Attention. “ 

By the left. Quick 

march. Left. Right. Left. Right.” 

“Square bashing; as it has been 

since our foundation, so it was 

for that 28th March 1979 when I walked 

in the gate of the Garda Training centre. 

“From day one my favourite training 

discipline was drill. The Square. From the 

entrance gate to the archway; from the 

army section to the officers quarters. Coordination. 

The crunch of leather soles on 

tarmac; the swish of arms fully extended 

from the elbow and shoulder as we 

marched four abreast. Eyes front, ears on 

full alert as we await the next command. 

Would it be; about turn or halt? It’s halt. 

One. Two. Silence. Totally immobile save 

for the drill instructors commentary on 

our progress. Off again; the wonderful 

exhilaration associated with exercise. 

“I recall our initial turnout and the drill 

instructors harangue on the necessity and 

value of drill and exercise in our Garda 

duties. “To develop teamwork, 

confidence, alertness, attention to detail 

and esprit de corps.” 

Mt Everest 

GARDA STORY 


For John Merrick; even from his 

earliest Sexton Street, Limerick school 

days walking was always more of a 

pleasure than a chore. In 1969,at age 12, 

a penny a mile charity walk was 

organised. A lot of money at the time. 

One sponsor was so surprised he had 

completed the trek he demanded the 

names and descriptions of the landmarks 

along the way before coughing up. 

John recalls December 1970 at age 13 

climbing Keeper Hill; the highest point of 

the famed Silvermines. Clad in Wellington 

boots and short pants his legs rubbed raw. 

He finished in his bare feet. 

After his Garda training he was 

allocated to Pearse street but after a short 

spell in the B he moved to Clondalkin. 

“In training the drill instructor handed 

me my marching feet but it was 

Clondalkin’s John McCann who gave me 

my beat patrol feet. I’ll never forget that 

first 6 o’clock morning when we picked 

up our feet and four hours later we were 

still in step when we turned back in for 

our break. 

“At the time there were a lot more beat 

men than today and I began to study the 

art of walking. 

“I discovered that some members could 

stand still for long periods—a heel and 

toe exercise to maintain circulation. For 

me; even in posts I had to mark my spot 

with a short beat. Pacing out, back and 

forth or in a circle counting out the steps. 

Not long for twenty to become a hundred 

and then 440; a quarter mile and so on. 

“Early in my Clondalkin days I met a 

retired skipper Kevin Blessing. An active 

man, exercise was constantly on the 

menu. We scaled Carrantual. Brandon. 

The Comeraghs. Lugnaquilla. 

Mullaghacleevaun. Mount Leinster. The 

Galtees. Silvermines and the Donegal 

mountains. Nowhere is the beauty of the 

Emerald Isle more viewable and 

exhilarating than from its towering 

mountain peaks. We also did the United 

Kingdoms, Ben Nevis, Scafell, Pike and 

Snowden. These were wonderful, almost 

joyous occasions. Peace and tranquillity 

with mind, body and soul in unison. 

Garda John Merrick 

walks the walk 

By Tim Doyle


“In my opinion the activity associated 

with walking engenders a desire,almost a 

calling to represent others less fortunate. 

So many deserving causes in every 

community. In 1996 Kevin and I did a 

charity walk for a seriously ill colleague. 

As usual the gardaí dug deep and we 

collected £5,000. 

“In 1997 I answered a leaflet advert for 

sponsored walkers left in my station. The 

Irish society for autism was looking for 

walkers to do the Wicklow Way and raise 

much needed funds. Due to my previous 

experience I was appointed a leader. 

“In 1998 I did The Way again for the 

same charity and the following year 

completed a walk on the Island of Malta. 

“In 1999 I moved to the Defence Unit, 

Garda Headquarters. In 2002 I did a 

Jungle Trek to Thailand for charity. 

Camping out in the jungle, no fancy 

hotels; just a two man tent. In 2005 I 

trekked the foothills of Everest, 16 days at 

altitude. Such scenery one would want to 

go back to again and again. In May this 

year one of my Defence colleagues asked 

would I take them hill walking. We 

decided on the Wicklow Way. Like any 

mission it needed planning; logistics 

equipment, etc. I was delighted when 

everyone on our unit made the effort. I 

organised an overnight stay in the 

Glenmalure Hotel. The first day we 

walked to Kelly’s Lough; at the foot of 

Lugnaquilla. We spent five hours on the 

hills. The gang was Brian O Dea, James 

Byrne, Michael Foley, Patrick Corcoran, 

Patrick O Connor, Daniel O Connor, 

Patrick Mc Mahon and myself. 

“Many times during that trip the 

fervour of my training drill instructor 

came to me. Esprit de corps. 

Camaraderie. Today’s word would be 

bonding. In July just gone we walked to 

Church mountain, on the Baltinglass end 

of the Wicklow Mountains. Seven of us 

turned out and we had a treasured day on 

the hills. Some will remember the aches 

and pains of tired legs. Our next foray is 

a Christmas walk in the Glenmalure area 

to finish the year in style. 

“Hill walking has many facets. It’s 

about time. Time to exercise. Time to rest. 

Draw breath. Take a drink of water. Look 

back at the terrain covered. Look forward 

to that yet to be traversed. Shake up the 

body and start off for new ground. 

“It’s about being active and alert 

especially in isolated locations. It’s about 

sharpening the senses and raising one’s 

appreciation of the natural beauty of our 

country. It places life on a pedestal. How 

precious it is? Nowhere is one more alive 

in the physical and spiritual sense. 

“It’s about enjoyment. Most appreciate 

GARDA STORY 

“TO DEVELOP TEAMWORK, 

CONFIDENCE, ALERTNESS, 

ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND 

ESPRIT DE CORPS” 

a good walk. Health and well being. The 

only proviso is to set ones own pace. 

“Mountain climbing is the supreme 

challenge. Making an ascent only to find 

another peak tempting and willing you on. 

Like a testament to live life to the full. 

“The ultimate challenge is attempting 

to go beyond ones endurance.” 

Our duties as Gardaí demand that we 

maintain a high level of mind and body 

fitness. Every hour of every day our 

activity is monitored. We are required to 

display dedication, enthusiasm and 

physicality in one of the most difficult 

disciplines in society. Nowadays we can 

cycle, motorbike, drive, boat or helicopter 

to incidents the final steps into people’s 

lives must be taken on foot. No matter 

how technology evolves one suspects that 

for decades to come each new Garda 

applicant will continue to stand, walk and 

exercise under the watchful eyes of the 

Garda Surgeon. GR 

John Merrick leads walks and climbs 

throughout Ireland. Nowadays many units 

organise long weekend social events. He 

urges them to consider ‘leisure walking’ 

and is ready to advise and assist in any 

such venture. He can be reached at The 

Defence Unit Garda Headquarters. 

John Merrick and his gang 

from the Defence Unit 

GARDA STORY 


Garda_Nov_07_p32-37:Garda_Mar_07-p4-29 11/9/07 12:21 PM Page 32 

It probably wouldn’t 

happen if you tried to 

start now. Since the 

1960s – without 

payment – Gardaí from 

Cork gave their free 

time and annual leave 

to build a credit union. 

Neil Ward reports. 

There is an informal and almost 

irreverent atmosphere in St Paul’s 

Garda Credit Union. Money 

might be a serious business, but 

the manner in which it is discussed is 

about connecting with people and their 

needs. You could be forgiven for thinking 

that everyone in the building puts a touch 

of laughter as their reason to be there; but 

this is the very culture that built the 

business, because in the early days the 

laughter and sense of achievement was 

the only reward for the Gardaí who built 

the institution to provide mutual support 

and a credit facility for members who 

shared a common bond; they were 

members of An Garda Síochána. 

As St Paul’s celebrates its 40th birthday 

this month, two of the men who freely 

gave their time and annual leave to build it 

are still working the odd day in the offices, 

and still being asked for by name among 

the thousands of members who call the 

offices in Boreenmanna Road. 

Pat Coogan retired from the Force in 

1989 and worked full time for the credit 

union for 10 years; principally operating 

the budget scheme that he had started in 

1972. He is still involved and will often 

work two days a week giving financial 

advice. 

He said, “We do have informality at St 

Paul’s; it gets talked about. We have a bit 

of craic on the phone. That makes it 

ST PAUL’S AT 40 


L-R: Pat Coogan and Flan Wiley 

life 

easier to talk; there are no formal boxes 

to be ticked. It was always that way. 

“It evolved. It fell into place because of 

the Garda connection and it became the 

culture of St Paul’s and it stayed that way. 

We don’t have the same constraints you 

might get in a bank or a call centre; we 

TIMELINE 1967-1988 ST PAUL’S OPERATES FROM MACCURTAIN STREET GARDA STATION 

1975 

Payroll deduction 

is introduced 

1975 

Common bond 

extended to cover 

Munster Garda 

1981 

Common bond 

extended 

countrywide 

BEGINS 

are prone towards informality. I was 

always this way, and so I am in the right 

place. Most people here are that way. 

Rank plays no part in our culture, it has 

nothing to do with us; everyone is 

addressed by their first names.” 

Flan Wiley is not a founder member; 

1982 

Shares reach 

£1 million mark 

1985 

First computer 

purchased


there aren’t any founder members still 

working here, the last man to do that was 

Noel Dee. But Flan Wiley has been 

involved for 37 years. The credit union 

was started in 1967 for members in Cork 

who could physically call into the office 

in MacCurtain Street Garda station and 

1987 

Common bond 

extended to family 

members 

1987 

Purchased building in 

Boreenmanna Road 

pay their contributions, and in 1975 the 

Common Bond was extended to include 

Gardaí in the Munster area and eventually 

to the whole country in 1981. 

Flan Wiley said, “As soon as it became 

possible we went out around the country. 

I’d say that I’ve been in every station in 

1997 

Demolished old building 

and built new offices on 

Boreenmanna Road 


“WE DO HAVE INFORMALITY 

AT ST PAUL’S. WE HAVE A BIT 

OF CRAIC ON THE PHONE. 

THAT MAKES IT EASIER TO 

TALK; THERE ARE NO 

FORMAL BOXES TO BE 

TICKED” 

the 26 counties bar Dublin. There was a 

squad picked for it; we would all get into 

a car and be dropped off in a station and 

we would try to persuade members to 

sign up for the credit union. Paddy 

Coogan, Matt Thorne, Frank Burke, Mick 

O’Halloran and I were regulars. 

“We would take off in one car on a 

Monday morning at five o’clock. I could 

be dropped in Monaghan and we would 

work our way around different stations 

getting lifts in squad cars. We would go 

from station to station; and Mick 

O’Halloran would ring us in the evening 

to see how many ‘fish’ we had caught. 

That was our cant.” 

The border divisions were a popular 

destination in the 1980s as so many 

members had been sent to the border; 

they were also earning some overtime 

payments for the first time on such a 

large scale. 

Pat Coogan said, “My best memories 

are of our countrywide recruiting in the 

1980s. They have nothing to do with the 

credit union itself, but the craic we had 

out on the road. The people that we met. 

I have great memories of that era. 

“We mixed business with pleasure. It 

was a holiday in its own way; it was a 

change of location, a change of scene and 

we met new people. We met many new 

people and we also saw old friends that 

we hadn’t seen since we were in training 

together. It gave us chance to reminisce. 

It had this dual purpose. 

“Not in my wildest dreams did we 

believe that the credit union would grow to 

this size. None of the first 13 or those that 

came after could ever have envisaged this. 

2006 

Purchased, renovated 

and opened new offices 

in Boreenmanna Road 

2007 

St Paul’s Garda 

Credit Union 

celebrates 40 years 




St Paul’s offices on Boreenmanna Road 

“I have enjoyed my time here 

immensely; it has been part of my life for 

40 years. We spent a lot of free time here. 

It is getting more difficult to get people to 

do voluntary work anywhere now. 

“I don’t think that people would be 

able to give the time necessary to build a 

credit union like this. It was our privilege. 

I couldn’t see people giving their annual 

leave now to do something like this. We 

liked doing it, which was the motivation. 

We were building something and we 

could see it succeeding. The weekly 

intake was getting bigger and bigger. The 

more people that were in, the more 

people could benefit. We were part of 

that. Flan Wiley and I are still involved 

here. We put our shoulders to the wheel 

when called on.” 

COMMON BOND 

Flan Wiley retired from the guards 15 

years ago, having spent all his time, 

unusually, in the one district in Cork City 

North. He said, “There was mighty vision 

shown by our founding members to get 

this started. 

“You couldn’t start a credit union now. 

The young generation are online now, 

and don’t understand the credit union; 

often they ring up and ask to have their 

shares transferred into their bank account. 

They can take out a loan against their 

shares and have it paid back in no time at 

all – and they still have their shares for a 

rainy day. I talk to people and they 

generally come around and see the logic 

of the advice they have been given. 

“EVERYONE THAT WORKS 

AT ST PAUL’S UNDERSTANDS 

HOW GARDAÍ OPERATE 

BECAUSE WE WERE OR ARE 

MEMBERS OF THE FORCE; 

GARDAÍ ARE UNIQUELY 

LOYAL TO EACH OTHER” 

“The whole generation has changed in 

relation to plastic cards. Having said that, 

seven out of every 10 have the right 

approach. I have taken fellas out of the 

water and hung them up to dry only for 

them to go and fall back in again. They 

go back to their old ways. 

“Helping members out is extremely 

satisfying and they appreciate it. I like 

talking to people. You have to be able to 

handle people too. People are highly 

educated now; it was unusual to have a 

leaving certificate when we joined. You 

need a leaving cert to work in a factory 

now: Times have changed.” 

In 1964, Garda Flan Wiley was in a 

station where there were 22 Gardaí and 

only two had their own house; one of 

those had married into it. Now it is a 

commonplace for members to have their 

own house. He said, “Both (Garda) credit 

unions have played a big part in that. It 

has given people independence and got 

them into the habit of saving. 

Flan Wiley has maintained contact with 

people over his years working in the 

credit union, and people that he first gave 


loans to over 30 years ago will still ring 

up and ask for him. 

Pat Coogan agrees. He said, “Back in 

1963 when I was getting married and 

trying to buy my own house it was 

difficult to get on the property ladder. 

“The credit union was of immense 

benefit to those guys in the 1970s, 1980s, 

1990s and still is. People always need to 

borrow, and if they run into trouble they 

can come in here and the Credit Union 

will do everything it can to help. Payments 

may be deferred or loans rescheduled in 

the short term, unlike the banks I have to 

say. That is how I have always felt about 

banks; they are very receptive but if a 

problem arises you are just a cog in the 

wheel and if you are not pulling your 

weight you will be ostracised. 

“Everyone that works at St Paul’s 

understands how Gardaí operate because we 

were or are members of the force; Gardaí 

are uniquely loyal to each other. I left the 

Force in 1989, but to people in my local 

pub I am still a Garda. We are branded 

with the same brush and it never leaves 

you. Same thing with the credit union.” 

COMMON GOOD 

St Paul’s Chairman Ben McGrath also 

believes that the men that built the credit 

union over the 40 years are the perfect 

ambassadors. “They have such great 

financial acumen built up from years of 

experience; and they know the workings 

of An Garda Síochána because they gave 

their working lives to the organisation. 

They have a proven disposition to work 

for the common good. 

They know the culture of the Force, 

and are the very people that create the 

culture of St Paul’s that is built around 

the common bond shared by the 

members. Our staff have a rapport with 

members because they are either 

members of the Force or are retired 

members. They use this to make the 

experience finance enjoyable. 

He also said, “We always give a 

sympathetic ear to any request from our 

members. No one gets turned down lightly. 

“If someone is refused a loan it is, in 

our judgement, in their best interests. I 

have heard Flan talking members out of 

taking a loan and he has persuaded them 

to take another course or option. Any 

commercial credit broker would not do 

this; they would see an opportunity to 

make profit.” 

Very few loan requests are refused. The 




L-R: Eamonn Carthy, Moss Deenihan and Pat Doyle 

life of a credit union is based around 

shares; they are the collateral they have to 

give loans. Senior members who leave 

their shares in the credit union help to 

keep the life of the credit union, and at St 

Paul’s they try to keep a good balance 

between shares and loans; the money is 

always coming though; there is a security 

in the payroll deduction at source. 

Flan puts the success of the credit 

unions to this facility. He said, “The 

payroll deduction facility is of huge 

benefit to St Paul’s. It facilitated the 

repayment of loans and lodging to shares 

of members’ money. Credit wasn’t always 

easily available. To get a loan from the 

bank you would need the parish priest and 

two TDs to vouch for you. 

“When the budget scheme was 

introduced, that was a great selling point. 

People were able to pay their utility bills, 

mortgages and everything.” 

CULTURAL 

Pat Coogan introduced the budget scheme 

in 1972. He said, “It was real pick and 

shovel stuff, it was all manual. It all had to 

be written up into a ledger and reconciled 

at the end of the month. It was very 

popular then, and it still is.” 

Cheques were written by hand to pay 

people’s bills under the scheme. At first 

“IT IS A FAIRYTALE THAT 

YOU NEVER THOUGHT 

WOULD HAPPEN” 

they had to write up all of the payroll 

contributions in the ledger, and at the end 

of the month everything had to add up; 

reconciliation of the figures. With writing 

everything manually it was easy to mistake 

a figure; and many Sundays were spent by 

the members looking through the ledger 

trying to find a missing ten pence. 

They built and built and built. 

The budget scheme is a huge benefit to 

all members; when managed properly it 

takes the worry out of bill paying. 

Flan said, “We would often go to inservice 

training days to sign up members 

who maybe worked in one-man stations 

that would be difficult to get to – you could 

call to them and find the station closed. 

“It is a fairytale that you never thought 

would happen. Mick O’Halloran was a 

Garda in MacCurtain Street and he had a 

great way of getting you to do things for 

him. It was all voluntary; we got nothing 

for it. 

“When we first started going out into 

the stations we used to take our holidays to 


do it. This was our annual leave. We were 

that interested to get people to sign up. We 

used to have competitions to see how 

many people we could get in a day. How 

many fish did you catch? 

“When I was up that time in Monaghan 

when the troubles were on, I got the record 

of 120 new members. Mick was in 

Donegal and he rang to ask how was the 

fishing going? I’ve 146 in the bag he said 

to me. And he did. 

“At that time we wouldn’t be staying in 

hotels. We stayed in small B&Bs. We just 

enjoyed it and looked forward to it. If you 

weren’t on the team going out you would 

be wondering what you did wrong the last 

time. It was an interest. We had only one 

car. We had great laughs and memories. 

We had long days but great craic.” 

The culture of St Paul’s is not just about 

the business, the premises or the assets. 

Mick O’Halloran once described the 

ideals and principles on which St Paul’s 

was founded as follows−through mutual 

co-operation, the promotion of financial 

thrift and the provision of loans at a 

reasonable interest charge thus improving 

the economic, social and cultural wellbeing 

of all its members. 

Adhering to these has ensured that St 

Paul’s is the success story that it is today 

and will continue to be into the future. GR 



Garda_Nov_07_p39:Garda_Mar_07-p4-29 11/9/07 12:16 PM Page 39 

YOUR PAY IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET 

By Martin Sheehan 

We protect our home, our car, 

even our holiday travel but 

very few of us protect our 

most important asset; our 

pay, the one thing that underpins 

everything. Have you ever thought about 

what would happen if you were unable to 

work and your pay stopped or was very 

much reduced? 

Have a think about what you actually 

spend each month. We have suggested the 

kind of items that you might be spending 

your monthly income on. For most of us 

our total spend tends to be very close to 

our net pay and therefore it follows that 

any reduction in pay would cause a 

problem. Do you know what happens to 

your pay when you go on sick leave? 

Rostered pay which is approx 20% of 

basic pay ceases immediately and after 12 

months the pension rate of pay applies. 

Your sick pay is on a reducing scale ie 

half pay after six months and pension rate 

of pay after 12 months. Rent allowance is 

also subject to half and pension rate 

similar to basic pay. 

Being out of work on long term sick 

can sizeably reduce your pay and cause 

major problems. Even being out short 

term sick could cause problems as 

rostered pay is not paid when you are not 

working. 

For many years the Garda 

Representative Association has operated 

group protection plans providing very 

valuable life assurance and serious illness 

benefits. Recognising the need that exists 

to protect pay in the event of a member 

being unable to work the GRA asked its 

broker, PenPro to search the market for a 

plan to assist members suffering from a 

loss of pay as a result of sick leave. 

Penpro proposed an income protection 

plan which was approved and came into 

force on the 1st August 2007. 

Income Protection is a form of sickness 

insurance that can help prevent financial 

worries when on sick leave. It is a very 

simple plan that is becoming increasingly 

popular in order to protect lifestyles in 

today’s world. The government have 

recognised the importance of such 

insurance by allowing full tax and PRSI 

relief on premiums. 

THE NEW GRA INCOME PROTECTION 

PLAN PROVIDES: 

� €150 gross per week and similar to 

pay is taxed. 

� Payment commences after 13 weeks 

from the date the member goes on 

sick leave and can be paid for up to 

five years. 

� A member who returns to work on light 

duties and suffers a reduction in pay 

will be paid a proportionate benefit. 

� A member who is paid a benefit and 

returns to work will continue to be 

covered under the plan. 

� No benefit is paid to a member 

injured on duty. 

It is recognised that a higher level of 

benefit would be desirable in the first 

instance. The hope is that based on the 

experience of the plan the level of benefit 

provided can be increased at an 

acceptable cost. The cost of providing this 

valuable cover is a gross weekly premium 

MONEY TALKS 

of €4.90 per week 

deducted by 

Garda pay. The 

premium qualifies 

for full tax and 

PRSI relief which 

is given by Garda 

pay as a topline deduction giving a net 

weekly premium of €2.75 (pre 1995) and 

€2.60 (post 1995). I am sure you will 

agree a small cost for peace of mind. 

It is bad enough having to give up work 

through illness. Just think what your life 

would be like if you had money problems 

as well due to having suffered a major 

reduction in pay. You may not be able to 

pay for some of the essentials in the above 

chart. But if you are in an income 

protection plan you may be able to secure 

your lifestyle. 

For further information and/or an 

application form members should contact 

Penpro on 01-200 0100. GR 

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INFORMER 

Former members of staff at 

the ‘Garda Training Centre’ 

from 1964 until it became the 

Garda College around 1988 

have mooted the idea of a 

‘reunion day’ for former 

personal–both Garda and 

civilian. Due to the large 

numbers involved they 

propose confining the event 

to members who served in 

the ‘Centre’ from 1964 to 

1988 and if it proves 

successful and becomes an 

PRESIDENT GREETS 

GARDA TONY GAVIGAN 

Garda Tony Gavigan attended a reception to pay tribute to the 

Irish team who competed at the World Transplant Games in 

Bangkok, Thailand in September. Tony Gavigan who is 

stationed in Kells received a new kidney nine years ago, and 

represented his country in the golf and petanque competitions. 

INFORMER 


Teachers 

celebrate 

close links 

with Gardaí 

Pictured: Kevin Dolan, 

Chairman St. Raphael’s 

Garda Credit Union, 

accepted a sculpture piece 

entitled ‘Emergence’from 

Dympna Mulkerrins, 

President Comhar Linn 

INTO Credit Union. The 

presentation was made to 

celebrate the close 

association between both 

credit unions. 

Plans mooted for training centre staff reunion 

annual event then it may be 

enlarged to accommodate 

members of the staff from 

1988 onwards. 

They need to establish 

whether there is sufficient 

interest in organising a 

reunion for instructors, 

administration and civilian 

staff. 

Those interested should 

contact Barry Feeney at 

bfeeney@eircom.net or 086 

2333216. 

NOTICEBOARD 

Please note that all advertisements in this 

section are between the two parties concerned. 

Garda Review and the GRA neither endorse nor 

recommend services in this section. 

SPANISH HOME TO LET 

Member has Spanish holiday home to let. Nerja. 25 mins 

from Malaga airport. Three bedrooms, fully furnished, 

swimming pool etc. Three minutes walk from beach and 

town centre. Summer/Winter 2007. Phone 086 842 1551. 

APARTMENT ON THE ALGARVE 

Member has a luxurious 2-bed ground floor apartment in 

small development to rent. Close to all amenities, 40 

minutes from Faro airport. Available April 2008 onwards. 

Sleeps 4-6. Swimming pool, tennis court and on-site 

parking. Phone 086 859 0345. 

TRANSFER SWAPS 

■ Member in Louth/Meath Division seeks a swap with a 

member in Carlow/Kildare Division or Laois/Offaly. 

■ Member in DMR South Division seeks a swap with a 

member in Wicklow/Wexford Division. 

■ Member in Limerick Division seeks a swap with a 

member in Kerry or Cork West Divisions. 

■ Member in Galway West Division seeks a swap with a 

member in Mayo Division. 

Contact the editor on 01 830 3533. 

L-R: Gardaí Joe Quinn and Julie Folan with community 

Gardaí Andrew Melbourne and Daniel Darcy 

Mounted unit support community Gardaí 

The Garda Mounted Unit visited St Vincent’s National School 

in the Ballybough area of Dublin’s north inner city at the 

request of local community Gardaí from Fitzgibbon Street. 

The boys and girls at the various schools on the site had 

expressed a desire to meet the Garda horses, and the visit was 

judged to be a great success. Garda Daniel Darcy said, “There 

is a great diversity of pupils in this school, from both the old 

and new communities in the area. It is important that 

community Gardaí form a good relationship with them all. 

“This visit can only help to create good relationships.”


Pictures by D/Garda Ian Redican 

GARDA 

HISTORICAL SOCIETY 

MAKES A COMEBACK 

The neglected Garda Síochána 

Historical Society made a 

welcome return with a lecture in 

Dublin Castle. In the Bedford 

Tower, around one hundred members and 

guests were treated to a lecture to 

celebrate the centenary of the theft of the 

‘Irish Crown Jewels’; in the very room 

from where they were stolen. 

Guest Speaker Myles Dungan gave an 

account of the crime that rocked 

Edwardian society in 1907, and gave his 

opinion of the perpetrators. Many of the 

guests on 25th October included 

descendants of those involved in the 

investigation. This remains one of the 

most famous of unsolved cases in Irish 

history. 

Whoever stole the jewels did so 

knowing that they belonged ultimately to 

King Edward VII – a not insignificant 

victim. 

The society is planning a series of 

lectures on topical police issues under 

their ethos of bringing history to life and 

not simply academic. In the near future 

they will stage a biography of ‘Lugs’ 

Branigan to be delivered by Bernard 

Neary. 


In the Bedford Tower Paddy and his brother George Power attended the lecture. Paddy 

is a former Assistant Commissioner and is the Life President 

of St Paul’s Garda Credit Union; George is a retired Garda 

Their website 

www.policehistory.com is 

back online and is being 

updated, and event details will be 

published there. 

The society is actively seeking new 

members, for an annual subscription of 

€10, they are entitled to attend three 

lectures and will receive a bi-annual Garda 

Gazette. This newsletter will include 

features on aspects of Irish policing from 

the DMP, RIC and Revenue Police. 

Chief Superintendent John Kelly is the 

Chairperson of the relaunched society, 

with Detective Garda Paul Maher fulfilling 

the demanding role of Honorary Secretary. 

Paul Maher said, “This lecture was 

about relaunching the historical society; 

we have to thank the Retired Members 

Association, particularly John Duffy, for 

both financially and with their assistance. 

“We plan to have a talk on Detective 

Inspector Kearns of the RIC who was 

involved in the arrest of Roger Casement 

in 1916 that will take place in the Garda 

Club on 30th January. 

“We are looking for contributors to the 

Gazette – serving members, retired 

members or anyone with an interest in 

police history. We are also interested in 

old photographs.” GR 

The Garda Síochána Historical Society 

can be contacted at the Garda Museum, 

Dublin Castle on 10 666 9999 or 

alternatively info@policehistory.com 




Q. WHO ARE THEY FOR? 

A. Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) 

are not just for the elderly or those 

approaching an Alzheimer’s state. They 

are designed to assist all responsible 

adults who wish to make provisions for 

their care in the event of their losing 

reasoning abilities. An ‘ordinary’ power 

of attorney ceases when the donor (the 

person making the provision) loses their 

mental capacity. A will only becomes 

effective on the death of the testator 

(creator). However an EPA bridges the 

gap for anybody needing such protection. 

Q. WHAT ARE THEY? 

A. An EPA is an instrument which 

complies with the strict procedural 

requirements of the Powers of Attorney 

Act 1996. It allows for parties to be 

nominated now who may at some time in 

the future administer the assets and make 

decisions on behalf of the donor when 

that donor is deemed to have become 

mentally incapable. 

Q. WHAT IS INVOLVED IN CREATING 

AN EPA? 

A. There are a maze of bureaucratic 

requirements that must be complied with. 

The first and most important is the 

choosing of the attorney(s). There is a 

requirement that one Attorney be 

appointed but it is widely accepted that 

more than one attorney should be 

appointed, see below. There is also a 

mandatory requirement that at least two 

persons (Notice Parties) be notified of 

the creation of the EPA. A doctor and a 

solicitor must also certify that in their 

opinion the donor understands the 

implications of what they are doing at 

the time of the creation of the power. 

Once these and other procedural 

requirements have been met, the EPA is 

put on hold until the attorney(s) or others 

form the opinion that the donor is 

becoming incapable. 

Q. WHAT HAPPENS ONCE THE 

DONOR BECOMES INCAPABLE? 

A. Once a doctor certifies that the donor 

is no longer capable of managing his 

affairs and once the legal procedures 

have been complied with, the EPA can be 

registered (brought into effect). Very 

occasionally queries may arise at this 

stage that require the adjudication of the 

High Court. Should this happen 

inevitable delays and costs occur. 

ENDURING 

POWERS 

OF ATTORNEY 

Q. WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF AN 

ATTORNEY? 

A. The attorney assumes a fiduciary 

relationship with the donor i.e. they are 

required by law to act in his best interest. 

They may have to assume responsibility 

for bank accounts and the paying of bills 

on behalf of the donor. Ultimately they 

may have to make decisions about selling 

the donor’s home to pay for his medical 

or nursing home costs. They must use 

separate accounts for the donor’s affairs 

and this may be overseen by the Wards of 

Courts Office. 

Q. WHO CAN BE AN ATTORNEY? 

A. Anybody may be appointed an 

attorney but care should be taken that the 

person or people chosen are trustworthy 

and capable of handling the affairs in the 

LEGAL 

Solicitor David Laffan looks at these relatively 

new means by which people in possession of 

their mental faculties can make arrangements 

concerning their care and their assets should 

they ever lose the capacity for clear 

reasoning and rational thought. 

best interests of the donor. If the assets of 

a donor are complicated – investment 

properties, equities, rather than solely a 

family home and bank/credit union 

accounts, great care should be taken in 

choosing attorney with the appropriate 

skill and expertise for their 

administration. Certain parties are 

excluded from acting as attorneys i.e. 

those convicted of fraud or dishonesty or 

those involved in the running of a nursing 

home where the donor is resident. 

Q. WHAT PROTECTION DOES AN EPA 

PROVIDE? 

A. The donor has the reassurance of 

having chosen an attorney who he deems 

most sympathetic to his own views and 

therefore most likely to administer his 

(her) affairs as he the donor, would have 

LEGAL 



done himself. The Act offers a range of 

protections to the donor which will 

protect him from unscrupulous or 

careless attorneys. The requirement of the 

appointment of the notice parties copper 

fastens this protection as should any 

concerns arise during the implementation 

of the EPA, the notice parties may raise 

these with the Wards of Court Office who 

will investigate matters. 

Q. WHAT POWERS CAN THE DONOR 

GIVE? 

A. The donor can give as much or as 

little power to the attorney as he or she 

wishes. Most donors tend to give the 

attorneys unlimited power. This means 

that the attorney is vested with total 

power over the donor’s assets i.e. power 

to sell any asset and decide where the 

donor should live and what treatment the 

donor should receive. Should he choose 

to have more than one attorney, the donor 

can determine whether they should act as 

a unit or if that is impractical, that they 

may act independently of each other. The 

donor can put any restrictions he wishes 

into the Power i.e. not to sell a property 

or to make donations or gifts to a 

particular person. 

Q. WHAT HAPPENS ONCE AN EPA 

COMES INTO EFFECT? 

A. Once the Ward of Courts Office is 

satisfied that everything is in order, the 

EPA becomes effective almost 

immediately. It is only at this stage that 

the attorney(s) assume the powers 

granted by the donor. Once the EPA has 

been registered (comes into effect) the 

attorney(s) can only relinquish office 

with the consent of the High Court and 

likewise the donor must seek similar 

High Court consent to revoke the power. 

Q. WHO SHOULD CREATE AN EPA? 

A. An EPA should be considered by all 

healthy young people. Who knows when 

a stroke or accident may rob us of our 

ability to direct our own affairs? With an 

EPA we have the comfort of choosing, 

while in good health, the person who will 

have this great power over our lives, 

should we lose the ability to do it for 

ourselves. GR 

David Laffan is a solicitor with Hughes 

Murphy Marcus Lynch. He can be 

contacted at 13 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2. 

Ph: 01 679 8566. Email: 

david.laffan@hmml.ie 

NO BONES ABOUT 

HER PLACE 

AT THE TOP 

By Adrian Murphy 

They say you should never mix 

business with pleasure. This 

doesn’t seem to have been a 

problem for Kathy Reichs. By 

day she’s a respected forensic 

anthropologist in both North Carolina 

and Quebec and by night she’s the best 

selling author of nine books featuring her 

heroine Tempe Brennan. Not forgetting 

being the executive producer of the 

highly acclaimed TV series Bones. 

Her latest book is Bones to Ashes. It 

begins with Tempe relating the sudden 

disappearance of Evangeline Landry 

when they were both kids, growing up in 

North Carolina. Evangeline originally 

came from Tracadie in New Brunswick, 

Canada. Push forward to the present 

where Tempe is a forensic anthropologist 

for the coroner in Quebec, when the 

body of a fourteen-year-old girl, who 

appears to have been dead for a number 

of years, is reluctantly handed over to her 

by the coroner in Tracadie. Is this her 

long lost childhood friend? Or are they 

ancient burial bones as the coroner is so 

eager to write them off as? 

Aside from that, her erratic love life 

takes a sudden downward spiral when 

her long-term boyfriend, Detective 

Andrew Ryan dumps her. Reeling from 

the train wreck of her relationship, her 

sister flies in with moral support and they 

re-enact a similar search for Evangeline 

they embarked on all those years ago. 

The book has pace and the dialogue 

between the central characters lively; 

Tempe’s own inner thoughts coming 

straight from the hip. There is a healthy 

smattering of French throughout, 

bringing the Québec inhabitants to life, 

putting the series above the norm for 

this style of thriller. 

Writers are told to write about what 

they know and this is where Reichs 

succeeds. Ten years ago, the undisputed 

queen of slicem-and-dicem’s was 

Patricia Cornwell. Kathy came on the 

scene; she hasn’t just left Cornwell 

behind, but signed her toe tag too. 

I definitely recommend this book but 

BOOK REVIEW 

be warned; have a bottle of high 

strength vitamin pills nearby. The 

workload of both these women factually 

and fictionally will have you feeling 

run-down after the first pages. 

All the readers who email in to tell 

us what they thought of the book will 

be entered into a draw for a €25 book 

voucher from Hughes & Hughes. 

Email: editor@gardareview.com 

€25 VOUCHER WINNER 

Sir, 

Having read Per Petterson’s book 

Out Stealing Horses I must say 

that I am somewhat at odds with 

your reviewer and his comments 

and indeed perception of the book. 

I found the book to be a very deep 

and moving work about the pain 

of being isolated and the loss of 

innocence rather than the ‘slowmoving 

mess’ which he describes, 

whilst I would accept that the 

book has a ‘grey’ demeanor it has 

this in the vein of lamenting a way 

of life gone forever and the 

tragedies which lead to the 

disintegration of two families. 

Best regards, 

Kevin Leydon 

Tallaght, Dublin 24 

BOOK REVIEW 



GAELIC FOOTBALL 

WESTERN REGION WIN 

THE SEAMUS O’REILLY CHAMPIONSHIP 

The finals of the Seamus O’Reilly Inter- 

Regional football championship were 

played at Bundoran, Co Donegal on the 

3rd of October 2007. This competition 

which is organised by Coiste Siamsa and 

sponsored by St Paul’s Garda Credit 

Union is going from strength to strength. 

The level of interest and the standard 

of football ensure that it is the premier 

football competition within the force. On 

this occasion the semi-finals saw the 

Western Region beating the Eastern 

Region; while in the other the Northern 

Region saw off the challenge of the DMR 

South. 

In a well contested final the Western 

Region were worthy winners overcoming 

the challenge presented by the Northern 

Region with a score line of 1–12 to 

0–07. 

Following the days exertions all 

participants were treated to a very 

pleasant evening in the Holyrood Hotel, 

Bundoran where all enjoyed a high 

standard of hospitality presented by the 

hotel staff. 

The captain of the winning Western Region team Don 

Connellan receives the cup from Chief Superintendent 

Willie Ryan on behalf of Coiste Siamsa. 

ANGLING 

ALL-IRELAND TEAM 

ENTER EUROPEAN 

POLICE CHAMPIONSHIPS 

By Richard Caplice 

The first police to represent Ireland in 

the European Police Angling 

championships competed at Lohr A 

Main, Frankfurt, Germany on the 28 - 

29th Sept 2007. 

The team comprised members of An 

Garda Síochána and the Police Service 

of Northern Ireland (PSNI). All team 

members coped well with the fast 

flowing deep river Main. 

Youth international Donnacha 

Maguire, and circuit hardened Peter O 

Connor got to grips with the venue, 

but it was the debutant Mark 

McGarrity who promised to upset the 

odds, out performing everyone. 

The German team followed by 

Netherlands and the UK made up the 

top three nations, followed by Ireland 

in a very credible (if profoundly 

SPORTSFILE 

The winning Western Region Team 

D/Garda Donncha Maguire (Donnybrook) shows a 

1kg bream caught as part of his 5th place catch. 

disappointing) fourth. This is the first 

experience of outright international 

competition, for most of our squad, 

and to overcome such strong teams as 

the Belgians and the Italians is hugely 

to the team’s credit. 

The Ireland squad showed serious 

determination comradeship, esprit de 

corp., and discipline. They conducted 

themselves impeccably on and off the 

match stretch, and as first time 

entrants to this huge event, were much 

lauded, by the European organisation, 

and all the other participating nations. 

St Paul’s Garda Credit Union 

provided support for the team. 

The Garda Coarse Angling club are 

always seeking new members; those 

with no angling experience are always 

welcome. Contact D/Garda Donncha 

Maguire; 087 9089986 or Richard 

Caplice; 087 2405317. 

Team Ireland Back L-R: D/Garda Donncha Maguire 

(Donnybrook); Garda Peter O Connor 

(Ballyfermot); Garda Eamonn (Bracken Garda 

Water Unit); Retired D/Garda Richard Caplice 

(Carrickmacross) 

Front L-R: Inspector David Gibson (PSNI); 

Constable Mark Mc Garrity (PSNI); D/Garda Keith 

Coleman (Castlebar); Constable Pete Kime (PSNI) 

GARDA SPORTSFILE 



SNOOKER 

GARDA SNOOKER 

CHAMPIONSHIPS 

The annual Garda Snooker 

Championships will be held at the 

Spawell Complex, Templeogue, Dublin 

12. The Coiste Rionne Championship for 

the DMR region will be held on 

Wednesday 21st November; the Coiste 

Siamsa All-Ireland on Wednesday 5th 

December. 

Both events will commence at 1.30pm 

for practice with a scheduled start at 2pm. 

Both competitions will include singles 

and doubles (members are entitled to 

enter either category – but cannot play in 

both singles and doubles). 

Information: call Tim Meehan on 086 

840 5868 

The Garda College, Templemore as usual 

hosted the annual Garda 10 mile Road 

Race Championship on 13th September 

with the majority of runners opting for 

the five mile race. 

The usual hardcore of between 10-15 

runners including Lorraine Manning, 

(Balbriggan ) toed the line for the 10 mile 

race with Kieran O’Sullivan (Limerick), 

Aidan Lanigan (Tallaght) and triathlete 

Michael McGloinn; a student on Phase II 

at the Garda College battling it out up 

WOMENS 5 MILE 

Leona O’Reilly (SDU) 34m:43s 

Jean Twomey (Garda College) 41m:00s 

Laura Gaffey (Garda College) 51m:14s 

STUDENTS 5 MILE MEN 

Neil Carbery 33m:43s. 

Conor Fox 34m:43s 

Paul Hayes 34m:45s 

front for the overall honours. 

At the three mile mark McGloinn fell 

off the pace and O’Sullivan and Lanigan 

matched stride for stride until the seven 

miles when Sullivan upped the pace 

ahead of Lanigan with McGloinn further 

back in third followed by M.Macken; 

L.Manning and J.Corcoran. 

Lorraine Manning recorded the fastestever 

time by a female Garda for a 10 mile 

race and finished in fourth place overall 

in a time of 61m:53s. This was a super 

SPORTSFILE 

LADIES FOOTBALL 

Kerry ladies fundraiser in memory of Carmel O’Connor 

Kerry Garda Ladies played a match 

against Cordal Ladies in Castleisland in 

memory of the late Carmel O’Connor; a 

Garda who served in Listowel. Gate 

receipts totalled €1,415 which was 

donated to the Kerry Hospice. 

Cordal Ladies won the match by four 

points; the Garda team are actively 

recruiting for 2008 and looking forward 

to winning back the shield. 

ATHLETICS 

COISTE SIAMSA 10 AND 5 MILE CHAMPIONSHIP 2007 

By Kevin Grogan 

run by Lorraine Manning which bodes 

well for the USPE X-Country next March 

in France. 

Mick Macken was first in the over-40 

category and fourth overall in 61m:45s. 

Waterford/Kilkenny (J.White; F.Lynch: 

J.Cawley) won the Divisional Team 

award. Special thanks to Chief 

Superintendent McGann who started the 

race; Eileen Kelly and Valerie Tobin from 

the Garda College staff for organising the 

race. 

GARDA SPORTSFILE 


Garda_Nov_07-p51:Garda_Mar_07-p4-29 11/12/07 3:32 PM Page 51 

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SEPTEMBER 2007 CROSSWORD WINNERS 

Two winners of the Motorola K1 mobile phone 

David Byrne Blackrock, Co. Louth 25187K 

Gerry Magee Kells Garda Station, Co. Meath 23466D 

Across 

1. Art gallery 6. Stag 10. Hands 11. Soap opera 12. Leopard 15. Prank 

17. Rota 18. Omit 19. Sable 21. Prowess 23. Tiger 24. Flee 25. Omar 

26. Egret 28. Sterile 33. Armistice 34. Irish 35. Keys 36. Tachograph 

GORDIUS 

ACROSS 

1. Canine. (3) 

3. Topple. (11) 

8. Petrified remains - 

of an anti-drug operation? (6) 

9. Is this politician the 

realization of a cot-dream? (8) 

10. Synthetic fabric. (5) 

11. Walsh might have created 

this garment. (5) 

13. A molar, for example. (5) 

15. Might Lear wed in such 

sheltered style? (7) 

16. Partaking in games. (7) 

20. T, or something like it, 

for trunk. (5) 

21. Illegally occupy an 

abandoned building. (5) 

23. Trumpet with a bulge. (5) 

24. Last month! (8) 

25. Subtle meaning. (6) 

26. Beautiful place in Wicklow 

that makes for a golden laugh. (11) 

27. Piece of turf. (3) 

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2. So, Ealing is a source of 

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3. Constellation named for a 

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4. Tree that grows in a 

communist copse? (7) 

5. Midlands county. (5) 

6. Ordinary, usual. (6) 

7. Consume. (3) 

12. It occurs when there is a 

Bank Holiday Monday. (4,7) 

13. Such cards tell your fortune, 

thanks to rubbish. (5) 

14. Give Hades a ring to say 

“Hi”. (5) 

17. Dreams up. (8) 

18. Type of rice found in the 

middle of Irish rhubarb or Iowan 

corn. (7) 

19. Biceps or triceps, for 

example. (6) 

22. Domesticated, thanks to a 

grand editor. (5) 

23. The limb of a tree. (5) 

24. Delve. (3) 

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CROSSWORD 



TRANSFERS 

The transfer of the following shall take effect as set out hereunder:- 

inthejob 

PROMOTION NOTIFICATIONS 

Notification is hereby given of the promotion to the rank and pay of Inspector of the undernamed with effect from the 12th October, 2007. 

REG. NO. NAME DIVISION 

23095B Martin Creighton Change Management 

22195C Sean Cullen G.N.I.B. 

24001L Henry Fitzpatrick DMR South Central 

22238M Joseph Flynn DMR Traffic 

24732D David McCarthy Tipperary 

25990L Sheamus McCormack G.P.S.U. 

25156K Gary McPolin Cork City 

24894M David Paul Murphy Donegal 

24498H Conor Madden Galway West 

24189L Paul Murray G.N.D.U. 

REG. NO. NAME RANK FROM TO DATE 

21852K Aidan O’Donnell Insp. Whitehall Santry 05/10/2007 

24861K David Murphy Sergt. Kildare Carlow 23/10/2007 

24928K John Keane Sergt. Terenure Rathmines 23/10/2007 

24239L Anthony Merrigan Sergt. Graiguena-managh Waterford 19/09/2007 

24937H Patrick Baldwin Sergt. Castlecomer Kilkenny 19/09/2007 

22438C Aidan O’Brien Sergt. Mountbellew Roscommon 23/10/2007 

22098A John O’Brien Garda Ronanstown Bridewell (Courts) 23/10/2007 

28801B Marie Masterson Garda Tallaght Bridewell (Courts) 23/10/2007 

27729M Thomas Doyle Garda Lucan Ronanstown 14/09/2007 

31369F Thomas Boland Garda Bandon Kinsale 23/10/2007 

23246G Patrick Burke Garda Salthill Galway 23/10/2007 

28748B David Kearney Garda Listowel Tralee 12/10/2007 

25893H John Cronin Garda Kenmare Killarney 12/10/2007 

28577H Aoife Dolan Garda Kenmare Killarney 12/10/2007 

01067G Ingrid Moore Garda Tullamore Birr 23/10/2007 

25737M John Doran Garda Kilcormac Clara 23/10/2007 

24332K James Kenny Garda Birr Kilcormac 23/10/2007 

20867A Aiden Corcoran Garda Shannonbridge Banagher 23/10/2007 

25503C Fergus O’Toole Garda Birr Shannon-bridge 23/10/2007 

29803D Ciaran McCormack Garda Edenderry Tullamore 23/10/2007 

27989G Michael O’Connell Garda Tullamore Portlaoise 23/10/2007 

23788D Mortimer Hennessy Garda Tullamore Portlaoise 23/10/2007 

26358C Gary Costigan Garda Tullamore Portlaosie 23/10/2007 

01319F Fiona McHale Garda Ballinrobe Ballina 23/10/2007 

01386B Fiona Reilly Garda Ballina Crossmolina 30/10/2007 

28898E Colin Broderick Garda Roscommon Ballygar 30/10/2007 

27790H Kevin Bolger Garda Greystones Bray 11/09/2007 

00403M Geraldine Dee Garda Bruff Henry Street 11/09/2007 

27171C Robert Hyland Garda Mountjoy S.D.U. 30/10/2007 

29067L Eileen Keogh Garda Ballymun S.D.U. 30/10/2007 

26781C Eoghain Clerkin Garda Cabra S.D.U. 30/10/2007 

29366M Valerie Browne Garda Santry S.D.U. 30/10/2007 

28446G Robert Reilly Garda Sundrive Road S.D.U. 30/10/2007 

28756C Gerard Ryan Garda Rathcoole S.D.U. 30/10/2007 

27652K Ciaran Regan Garda Ballybay S.D.U. 30/10/2007 

27784C Ciaran Hobbs Garda Kevin Street S.D.U. 30/10/2007 

27395C Keith Fitzpatrick Garda Pearse Street S.D.U. 30/10/2007 

27436D Paul Ruane Garda DMR Traffic S.D.U. 30/10/2007 

30265A Timothy Walshe Garda Rathmines Terenure 23/10/2007 

30632M Michael Waters Garda Rathmines Terenure 23/10/2007 

32020L Andrew O’Neill Garda Rathmines Terenure 23/10/2007 

28167M Ronan Clogher Garda Rathmines Terenure 23/10/2007 

29804B Eoghan Reilly Garda Terenure Rathmines 23/10/2007 

31107C Liam Gaughan Garda Terenure Rathmines 23/10/2007 

31777B Peter Lyons Garda Terenure Rathmines 23/10/2007 

32269E Lydia Burke Garda Terenure Rathmines 23/10/2007 

30630D Garvan Kelleher Garda Terenure Rathmines 23/10/2007 

31836A Olwyn Murphy Garda Terenure Rathmines 23/10/2007 

20479L Michael McKenny Garda Mohill Carrick-on-Shannon 09/10/2007 

00939C Aisling Tubridy Garda Command & Control Change Management 23/10/2007 

20913K Michael Neville Garda Clonakilty Dunmanway 23/10/2007 

30820L Paul Breen Garda Bantry Dunmanway 02/11/2007 

IN THE JOB 




32275C John Paul Jones Garda Clonakilty Dunmanway 02/11/2007 

27428C Shaun Walsh Garda Garda College Ballina 23/10/2007 

28254E Emma McGranaghan Garda Services/Tele-communications Telecom-munications, Letterkenny 23/10/2007 

28257L Dermot Gowran Garda Services/Tele-communications Telecom-munications, Harcourt Tce. 23/10/2007 

24776F Nigel O’Neill Sergt. Pearse Street Telecom-munications 22/10/2007 

24766K John Moloney Sergt. Roxboro Road Henry Street 13/11/2007 

25389H Brendan Keane Sergt. Omeath Dundalk 01/10/2007 

00642D Caroline Moloney Sergt. Rathmines Terenure 11/09/2007 

00536C Sandra Brennan Sergt. Cabra Security & Intelligence 13/11/2007 

25266B Brian Woods Sergt. Tallaght Security & Intelligence 13/11/2007 

25882K Declan McCarthy Sergt. Ronanstown Security & Intelligence 13/11/2007 

25042B Brian Kelly Garda Carlow Roscommon 31/10/2007 

01338B Deirdre Fanning Garda Celbridge Naas 06/11/2007 

21797B John Brady Garda Cavan Ballyconnell 22/11/2007 

30560L Ian Coughlan Garda Anglesea St. Barrack St. 22/10/2007 

29066A Colin Greenway Garda Anglesea St. Barrack St. 22/10/2007 

32942H Patricia Devine Garda Anglesea St. Barrack St. 22/10/2007 

30682G Michael O’Callaghan Garda Anglesea St. Barrack St. 22/10/2007 

28954L Jaqueline McAuliffe Garda Anglesea St. Barrack St. 22/10/2007 

29904K Cathal O’Regan Garda Anglesea St. Barrack St. 22/10/2007 

01310B Katherine Tansley Garda Barrack St. Blackrock (C) 22/10/2007 

27979L Patrick Harrington Garda Blackrock (C) Bridewell (C) 22/10/2007 

22091D Cornelius Delahunty Garda Bishopstown Togher 06/11/2007 

25598L Aidan Leahy Garda Bishopstown Togher 06/11/2007 

30431L Simon Whelan Garda Togher Douglas 06/11/2007 

30438G Lisa Kearney Garda Togher Bishopstown 06/11/2007 

31684K David Hickey Garda Togher Bishopstown 06/11/2007 

28175A James O’Sullivan Garda Ballincollig Anglesea St. 23/10/2007 

01151G Marie Keating Garda Gurranabraher Ballincollig 25/09/2007 

01040E Deirdre McShea Garda Dungloe Castlefin 15/10/2007 

32461B Sharon McDowell Garda Dundalk Kells 24/09/2007 

31364E David Lewis Garda Balbriggan Dundalk 24/09/2007 

32398E Michael Daly Garda Dundalk Drogheda 24/09/2007 

29972C Michael Mellody Garda Rush Balbriggan 18/10/2007 

31343B Diarmuid Lalor Garda Balbriggan Skerries 18/10/2007 

27415A Darragh Gannon Garda Drogheda Skerries 19/10/2007 

29653H Ciara Geraghty Garda Drogheda Balbriggan 19/10/2007 

23606C Peter Mulryan Garda Trim Kilmessan 15/11/2007 

26182C Brendan Mee Garda Tuam Roscommon 06/11/2007 

29711K Padraig Kelly Garda Ballinasloe Roscommon 06/11/2007 

28090K Alan Kelly Garda Mountbellew Tuam 06/11/2007 

28603F Standish O’Grady Garda Roscommon Tuam 06/11/2007 

26326E Bartholomew McCarthy Garda Dungarvan Lismore 15/10/2007 

26593D John O’Dwyer Garda Dungarvan Cappoquinn 15/10/2007 

30435B Michael Garrett Garda Clifden Pearse Street 01/11/2007 

29779H Lynda Brosnan Garda Bruff Newcastle West 06/11/2007 

31535D Michael Gaughan Garda Tullamore Castlebar 13/11/2007 

26405K Mark Anderson Garda G.B.F.I. Security & Intelligence 13/11/2007 

27188H Francis Hoban Garda Liaison & Protection Security & Intelligence 13/11/2007 

25658G John O’Brien Garda G.B.F.I. Security & Intelligence 13/11/2007 

29183H Padraig Corcoran Garda Fitzgibbon Street Security & Intelligence 13/11/2007 

29120L Aidan Carroll Garda Kevin Street Security & Intelligence 13/11/2007 

28130A Elaine Fleming Garda Terenure Security & Intelligence 13/11/2007 

28664H Tracey Flood Garda Dun Laoghaire Security & Intelligence 13/11/2007 

00898B Julie Goulding Garda Communications Centre Security & Intelligence 13/11/2007 

29384K Peter Hayde Garda Ronanstown Security & Intelligence 04/12/2007 

26861E David Linnane Garda Celbridge Security & Intelligence 04/12/2007 

01228K Helen Murphy Garda Malahide Security & Intelligence 04/12/2007 

29874C James Smith Garda Store Street Security & Intelligence 04/12/2007 

01048K Margaret Twomey Garda Blackrock Security & Intelligence 04/12/2007 

21031E Martin Cashen Insp. Pearse Street Portlaoise 06/11/2007 

22775G Francis Nicholson Insp. Terenure Tuam 06/11/2007 

24002H Michael Coppinger Insp. Tuam Galway 06/11/2007 

23990K John Galvin Insp. Galway Ennis 06/11/2007 

22503G Paul Heffernan Insp. Wexford Dungarvan 06/11/2007 

21616L Michael Walsh Insp. Gorey Wexford 06/11/2007 

23577F Brian Goulding Insp. Fermoy Midleton 06/11/2007 

23671C James Ruane Insp. Letterkenny Roxboro Rd. 25/10/2007 

22774K Kenneth Hill Sergt. Garda Press Office Internal Affairs 13/11/2007 

23655A John McDonald Insp. G.F.P.O. (DMR) G.F.P.O. (Thurles) 05/11/2007 

23810D Maurice Sheridan Sergt. G.F.P.O. (DMR) Dun Laoghaire 05/11/2007 

21552L Michael Miley Sergt. G.F.P.O. (DMR) G.F.P.O. (DMR Traffic) 05/11/2007 

20999F William O’Connell Sergt. Anglesea Street Barrack Street 05/11/2007 

24912B John Deasy Sergt. Barrack Street Anglesea Street 13/11/2007 

24824L Richard Coughlan Sergt. Templemore Thurles 13/11/2007 

26226K Thomas Dunleavy Sergt. Rathfarnham Tallaght 05/11/2007 

IN THE JOB 




25370G Peter Woods Sergt. Dun Laoghaire Dalkey 05/11/2007 

24674C Joseph Griffin Garda G.F.P.O. (DMR) Dun Laoghaire 05/11/2007 

27065B David Conroy Garda Tallaght Rathfarnham 05/11/2007 

26626D William Niland Garda Cabinteely Dun Laoghaire 05/11/2007 

26763E Darren Coogan Garda Dun Laoghaire Dalkey 05/11/2007 

29294L Tadgh Reeves Garda Dalkey Dun Laoghaire 05/11/2007 

29558B Aidan Ivers Garda Cabinteely Dalkey 05/11/2007 

29649L Charles Dempsey Garda Dalkey Dun Laoghaire 05/11/2007 

31031L Jane Ryan Garda Dalkey Dun Laoghaire 05/11/2007 

28931M Anthony Todd Garda Raheny Balbriggan 19/11/2007 

01328E Ashling Gannon Garda Mountjoy Community Relations 29/11/2007 

31897C Alan Burke Garda Clonmel Carrick-on-Suir 06/11/2007 

31576A Eoin Doyle Garda Clonmel Carrick-on-Suir 06/11/2007 

31534F Noel Flynn Garda Clonmel Carrick-on-Suir 06/11/2007 

28972H Padraig O’Keeffe Garda Carrick-on-Suir Clonmel 06/11/2007 

27244B Michael Hayes Garda Carrick-on-Suir Piltown 06/11/2007 

24482A Sean Farrell Garda Mountbellew Ballinasloe 24/11/2007 

21611K Edward Mullarkey Garda Laytown Clogherhead 08/11/2007 

25881D Thomas Mulcahy Garda Innishannon Bandon 23/11/2007 

29480B Brendan O’Donovan Garda Macroom Bandon 23/11/2007 

26444L Edward Holland Garda Castletownbere Bandon 23/11/2007 

28273A Linda Russell Garda Bantry Kanturk 04/12/2007 

28134D Maria Roughneen Garda Loughrea Internal Affairs 13/11/2007 

ALLOCATIONS 

REG. NO. NAME RANK STATION ALLOCATION DATE 

26969G Derek Clancy Sergt. Mayorstone Detective Duties 11/09/07 

24738C Brendan Carroll Sergt. Galway Detective Duties 11/09/07 

00596G Eileen O’Connor Garda Loughrea Detective Duties 11/09/07 

28237E Padraig Sutton Garda Henry Street District Clerk 11/09/07 

01028F Lynne Nolan Garda Balbriggan District Clerk 11/09/07 

28414K Michelle Leahy Garda Bruff District Clerk 11/09/07 

27216G Martin Maloney Garda Bridewell J.L.O. 18/09/07 

20760H Aidan Boyle Insp. Portlaoise Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

21287C Brendan Burke Insp. N.B.C.I. Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

23323D Martin Cadden Insp. Mullingar Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

22527D Joseph Crowe Insp. N.B.C.I. Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

22178C James Curley Insp. Monaghan Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

22651C Kevin Dolan Insp. Store Street Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

22035C Martin Dorney Insp. Fermoy Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

21705M Patrick Finlay Insp. Roscommon Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

23661F Colm Fox Insp. Blanchardstown Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

23965H John Healy Insp. Bandon Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

22397B Denis Heneghan Insp. G.B.F.I. Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

24524M Edward Henry Insp. N.B.C.I. Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

23692F Daniel Keane Insp. Tralee Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

24126A Michael Leacy Insp. Waterford Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

20845M Richard McDonnell Insp. Lucan Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

22137F Kevin Moynihan Insp. Ennis Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

23989E John O’Reilly Insp. Sligo Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

23720E John Quilter Insp. Anglesea Street Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

23527L Kevin Ring Insp. C.A.B. Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

24155E Gerard Roche Insp. Galway Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

00572L Angela Willis Insp. Raheny Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

22017E Colm Church Insp. S.D.U. Detective Duties 04/10/2007 

27787H Patrick Lyons Garda Gurranabraher Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

26606L James O’Shea Garda Watercourse Road Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27554K Eamonn Fehin Garda Togher Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27108L Paul Aherne Garda Gurranabraher Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27642A Niall O’Connell Garda Watercourse Road Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

29431D Emmet Daly Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

26760M Andrew O’Connell Garda Barrack Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27209D Neill Walsh Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27722C Joseph Young Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27552B Cormac O’Crotaigh Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

28098D Sean McCarthy Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

01144D Mary Skehan Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

01323D Joanne O’Brien Garda Watercourse Road Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

00963F Sharon Sweeney Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

28638K Paul Radley Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

26968K Leonard O’Sullivan Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

28998A Patrick Prendergast Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27288D Denis O’Mahony Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

26723F Mark Keating Garda Mayfield Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27810F Rory McGrath Garda Ballincollig Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27634M Oisin Cotter Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

IN THE JOB 



REG. NO. NAME RANK STATION ALLOCATION DATE 

26615K William Lingane Garda Watercourse Road Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

26837B Martin McSweeney Garda Anglesea Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

29206M Michael Murphy Garda Douglas Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27555G Martin McHale Garda Henry Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27991K Kieran Crowley Garda Mayorstone Park Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

26633G Gearoid Thompson Garda Mayorstone Park Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

25763L Cathal O’Neill Garda Henry Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

27832G Enda Haugh Garda Mayorstone Park Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

29269K Joseph O’Sullivan Garda Askeaton Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

29833F James Muldoon Garda Henry Street Detective Duties 09/10/2007 

26110F John Davis Garda Glanmire Detective Duties 16/10/2007 

23823F Thomas O’Halloran Garda Midleton Detective Duties 16/10/2007 

29395D Kathleen O’Sullivan Garda Fermoy Detective Duties 16/10/2007 

29328H Cormac Ryan Garda Fermoy Detective Duties 16/10/2007 

25413D Bernard Casey Garda Killaloe Detective Duties 16/10/2007 

26494F John Mulvihill Garda Killaloe Detective Duties 16/10/2007 

20479L Michael McKenny Garda Carrick-on-Shannon District Clerk 22/08/2007 

26999K Moses Harnett Garda Watercourse Rd. Juvenile Liaison Officer 17/09/2007 

29798D Aisling Colclough Garda Mountmellick Official Accommodation 16/10/2007 

27171C Robert Hyland Garda S.D.U. Detective Duties 30/10/2007 

29067L Eileen Keogh Garda S.D.U. Detective Duties 30/10/2007 

26781C Eoghain Clerkin Garda S.D.U. Detective Duties 30/10/2007 

29366M Valerie Browne Garda S.D.U. Detective Duties 30/10/2007 

28446G Robert Reilly Garda S.D.U. Detective Duties 30/10/2007 

28756C Gerard Ryan Garda S.D.U. Detective Duties 30/10/2007 

27652K Ciaran Regan Garda S.D.U. Detective Duties 30/10/2007 

27784C Ciaran Hobbs Garda S.D.U. Detective Duties 30/10/2007 

27395C Keith Fitzpatrick Garda S.D.U. Detective Duties 30/10/2007 

27436D Paul Ruane Garda S.D.U. Detective Duties 30/10/2007 

28560K Denis Ryan Garda Fermoy Detective Duties 24/09/2007 

29037H Catherine Bothwell Garda C.A.B. Detective Duties 11/09/2007 

28750D Michael Kelly Garda Tuam Detective Duties 16/10/2007 

01386B Fiona Reilly Garda Crossmolina Official Accommodation 30/10/2007 

28898E Colin Broderick Garda Ballygar Official Accommodation 30/10/2007 

27790H Kevin Bolger Garda Bray District Clerk 11/09/2007 

28385A Annamarie Guiney Garda Midleton District Clerk 24/09/2007 

00536C Sandra Brennan Sergt. Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

00672F Evelyn Doherty Sergt. Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

25266B Brian Woods Sergt. Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

25882K Declan McCarthy Sergt. Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

26405K Mark Anderson Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

27188H Francis Hoban Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

25658G John O’Brien Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

29183H Padraig Corcoran Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

29120L Aidan Carroll Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

28130A Elaine Fleming Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

28664H Tracey Flood Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

00898B Julie Goulding Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 13/11/2007 

29384K Peter Hayde Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 04/12/2007 

26861E David Linnane Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 04/12/2007 

01228K Helen Murphy Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 04/12/2007 

29874C James Smith Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 04/12/2007 

01048K Margaret Twomey Garda Security & Intelligence Detective Duties 04/12/2007 

29441A Jennifer Ryan Garda Mooncoin Official Accommodation 06/11/2007 

ALLOCATION OF NEWLY PROMOTED PERSONNEL 

REG. NO. NAME RANK FROM TO EXPENSE DATE 

23095B Martin Creighton Insp. Change Management Change Management Public 06/11/2007 

22195C Sean Cullen Insp. G.N.I.B. Pearse Street Public 06/11/2007 

24001L Henry Fitzpatrick Insp. Pearse Street Terenure Public 06/11/2007 

22238M Joseph Flynn Insp. D.M.R. Traffic Blackrock (D) Public 06/11/2007 

24732D David McCarthy Insp. Thurles Thurles Public 06/11/2007 

25990L Sheamus McCormack Insp. G.P.S.U. G.P.S.U. Public 06/11/2007 

25156K Gary McPolin Insp. Blackrock (C) Gorey Public 06/11/2007 

24894M David Paul Murphy Insp. Buncrana Letterkenny Public 06/11/2007 

24498H Conor Madden Insp. Loughrea Castlerea Public 06/11/2007 

24189L Paul Murray Insp. G.N.D.U. Communications Centre Public 06/11/2007 

VACANCY FOR DETECTIVE SERGEANTS AND DETECTIVE GARDAI AT SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE, CRIME AND SECURITY, GARDA HEADQUARTERS. 

The following members have been successful in the above competition. 

REG. NO. RANK NAME STATION 

00536C Sergt. Sandra Brennan Cabra 

00672F Sergt. Evelyn Doherty Security and Intelligence 

25266B Sergt. Brian Woods Tallaght 

25882K Sergt. Declan McCarthy Ronanstown 

IN THE JOB 



REG. NO. RANK NAME STATION 

26405K Garda Mark Anderson G.B.F.I. 

27188H Garda Francis Hoban Liaison and Protection 

25658G Garda John O’Brien G.B.F.I. 

29183H Garda Padraig Corcoran Fitzgibbon Street 

29120L Garda Aidan Carroll Kevin Street 

28130A Garda Elaine Fleming Terenure 

28664H Garda Tracey Flood Dun Laoghaire 

00898B Garda Julie Goulding Communications 

29384K Garda Peter Hayde Ronanstown 

26861E Garda David Linnane Celbridge 

01228K Garda Helen Murphy Malahide 

29874C Garda James Smith Store Street 

01048K Garda Margaret Twomey Blackrock 

RETIREMENTS, DEATHS & DISCHARGES 

REG. NO. NAME RANK STATION EFFECTIVE DATE CAUSE 

32600C Michael Rogan Garda Portlaoise 22/09/2007 Resignation 

25163A Brian McSharry Garda Buncrana 25/09/2007 Dismissal 

21445M Fergus Kelly Sergt. Glanmire 26/09/2007 Retirement 

32510D Darragh O’Sullivan Garda Cahir 27/09/2007 Resignation 

29632E Nicola Hayes Garda Donnybrook 30/09/2007 Resignation 

18942A Gerald Kelliher Garda Anglesea Street 30/09/2007 Retirement 

31808F James Swan Garda Sundrive Road 30/09/2007 Resignation 

30195G Edward Kenneally Garda Clontarf 04/10/2007 Resignation 

19171L Bernard Gibbons Garda Tallaght 05/10/2007 Retirement 

20565F Oliver Dooley Garda S.D.U. 05/10/2007 Retirement 

31571M Emmanuel Kavanagh Garda Portlaoise 05/10/2007 Resignation 

29125M Linda Kelly Garda Store Street 08/10/2007 Resignation 

30747E Bernard Sheary Garda Tullamore 09/10/2007 Resignation 

27247B Patrick Horan Garda Watercourse Road 10/10/2007 Resignation 

19304F John Whelan Sergt. Abbeyfeale 11/10/2007 Retirement 

18896D Michael Matthews Garda Pearse Street 19/10/2007 Retirement 

20809D David Ryan Garda Cahir 20/10/2007 Retirement 

20266E Donal McCarthy Garda Piltown 21/10/2007 Retirement 

20757H James Devaney Garda S.D.U. 21/10/2007 Retirement 

32071D Robert Young Garda Raheny 24/10/2007 Deceased 

19896L John Hynes Garda Kilrickle 25/10/2007 Retirement 

20706C Michael Rogers Garda Sligo 25/10/2007 Retirement 

19300C Matthew Robinson Garda S.D.U. 26/10/2007 Retirement 

CANCELLATIONS AND AMENDMENTS 

BULLETIN NO. REG. NO. NAME RANK FROM TO DATE 

19/07 22785D Brendan Fogarty Insp. Bandon Bantry Deferred 

18/07 01319F Fiona McHale Garda Ballinrobe Ballina Deferred 

18/07 32213L Colin O’Mahony Garda Shannon Bantry Cancelled 

16/07 32151F Rory Harding Garda Shannon Midleton Cancelled 

16/07 29788G Aidan Forrest Garda Gurranabraher Anglesea Street Cancelled 

17/07 22035C Martin Dorney Insp. Midleton Fermoy Deferred 

17/07 23364A James Murphy Insp. Dun Laoghaire Whitehall 04/10/2007 

17/07 23081B John O’Driscoll Insp. Santry Dundrum 04/10/2007 

17/07 29328H Cormac Ryan Garda Midleton Fermoy Cancelled 

16/07 18613K James Fitzpatrick Sergt. Carna Clifden 10/10/2007 

16/07 26397D Finbar O’Sullivan Sergt. Waterford Graiguena-managh 11/09/2007 

16/07 32213L Colin O’Mahony Garda Shannon Bantry 02/11/2007 

15/07 27146B John Coggins Garda Ashbourne Ardee Cancelled 

18/07 18613K James Fitzpatrick Sergt. Carna Clifden Deferred 

17/07 23720E John Quilter D/Insp. Mayfield Anglesea St. Cancelled 

17/07 22785D Brendan Fogarty Insp Bandon Bantry 01/11/2007 

17/07 24002H Micheal Coppinger Insp. Letterkenny Tuam 26/10/2007 

17/07 24653M Ernest White Insp. Ballyshannon Salthill 08/10/2007 

05/07 23942K Martin Drew Sergt. Raheny Santry 25/06/2007 

17/07 01311M Stephanie Hegarty Garda Killarney Tralee Deferred 

17/07 26570E David McKeigue Garda DMR Traffic Galway Deferred 

16/07 28989B Darrell Fitzpatrick Garda Dalkey Bailieboro Cancelled 

16/07 32911H Terence Farrelly Garda Garda College Navan 14/09/2007 

16/07 32926F Paul Gill Garda Garda College Dundalk 14/09/2007 

16/07 33079E Kieran Kelly Garda Garda College Dundalk 14/09/2007 

16/07 32915M Michelle Murray Garda Garda College Dundalk 14/09/2007 

16/07 33090F Paul Burke Garda Garda College Dundalk 14/09/2007 

16/07 32919C John Newman Garda Garda College Togher 14/09/2007 

16/07 30463H Sarah Lee Garda Buncrana Ballinasloe 16/10/2007 

16/07 29966K Donal Hallinan Garda Store Street Mountbellew 16/10/2007 

16/07 26398B Gary Frehill Garda Gort Granard Cancelled 

10/07 28897G Brian Begley Garda Tralee Ardnacrusha 10/07/2007 

IN THE JOB 



END FRAME 

A dying 

declaration 

By WGA Scott 

Police officers perform many 

unpleasant tasks, but for me there 

was no duty more upsetting than 

attending a dying declaration and 

the ensuing post mortem. A dying 

declaration is a statement made verbally 

or in writing by a dying victim who must 

be fully aware that they are about to die 

and have given up all hope of recovery; it 

is admissible in evidence in subsequent 

court proceedings. 

Late in 1958 I was on operational duty 

in a patrol car in Harlesden in North 

London, driven by PC ‘Brakes’ 

Brakespeare. We got a call to go to a 

local address to investigate an assault, 

arriving simultaneously with an 

ambulance and I followed the medics 

who carried a stretcher up the stairs to a 

self-contained apartment. Lying on the 

kitchen floor in a large pool of blood was 

1940: Picture from the archives 

courtesy of D/Garda Ian Redican 

END FRAME 


a handsome young black woman; clearly 

in pain. She had been stabbed in each 

breast and twice in the back of the neck 

with a very sharp instrument. 

The attendants put her on the stretcher 

and carried her down the stairs. I asked 

one of the men what her chances were of 

recovering? He replied, in a whisper. 

“She’s a goner, officer.” I accompanied 

the woman in the ambulance as they took 

her to hospital – as it warranted a dying 

declaration. I held her hand and asked her 

the questions; she was very distressed and 

replied in a very low voice. 

“I WAS GOING OUT WITH 

OTHER MEN AND I WOULD 

NOT GIVE THEM UP” 

GARDA:“Do you know you are going 

to die?” 

WOMAN:“Yes.” 

G:“Have you given up all hope of 

recovery?” 

W:“Yes.” 

G:“Who did this to you?” 

W:“My husband.” 

G:“What did he do it with?” 

W:“A butcher’s knife.” 

G:“Where is the knife now?” 

W:“Back in the flat.” 

G:“Why did he do it to you?” 

W:“I was going out with other men and I 

would not give them up.” 

I recorded all the questions and 

answers plus the day, date, time and 

place in my official notebook. I 

telephoned the station officer at 

Harlesden who sent a car to collect me. 

There I found that my colleague, PC 

Brakespeare, had arrested the victim’s 

husband. The victim died in the night and 

it became a murder investigation. 

The following morning I went to 

Willesden mortuary, to identify the body. 

Even in death she was very handsome. I 

accepted a cup of tea from the mortuary 

attendant; when the tea was made he 

went to draw and opened it, and removed 

a bottle of milk from between the feet of 

a well-frozen corpse. Worse was to come. 

He finished the tea, muttered there was 

work to be done and taking out a long 

knife, immediately began to cut a deep 

line around the head of the corpse – just 

above the top of her ears – and began to 

peel off her scalp. He produced a surgical 

saw and was just about to start cutting 

along the line where the scalp had been 

removed when the pathologist arrived. I 

identified the body and made an exit; I 

had seen more than enough butchery in 

the last 24 hours. 

Six weeks later, the husband was 

convicted of murder and sentenced to life 

imprisonment. GR 

WRITE FOR €150 

Garda Review will pay readers 

€150 for any short stories published 

in End Frame. Submissions should 

be between 600 and 800 words, 

typed, on a disk or by email. 

Please include your full name and 

daytime telephone number. Work 

will be edited.

public order training - Garda Review

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