A friend of Garda Colm Horkan has told how his brother held the hand of the detective in his final moments.
Speaking to Brendan O'Connor on RTE Radio One on Sunday, Mr Horkan's childhood friend Johnny Casey said: "He was one of the finest and I don't say things like that lightly.
"He was literally one of the best human beings that our community and our town has ever produced.
"Colm, or 'The Bear' as we called him here in town, was just one of the nicest fellas, one of the great fellas, he was a friend for everybody.
"Anyone who met him had a nice word to say about him."
He also revealed that while Garda Horkan was a talented GAA player, he wasn't fond of training yet was "never found wanting" on the pitch.
Johnny told how his brother, Garda Sergeant Declan Casey, went to Castlerea when he heard a garda had been shot.
Declan had been trying to call Garda Horkan but couldn't reach him.
When he got to the scene, he found paramedics attending to him.
Johnny revealed: "He kept trying to ring Colm, obviously Colm didn't answer.
"He arrived just in time, the medics were working on him when Declan arrived.
"Declan was still not aware it was Colm until he saw his Tommy Bowe shoes on the ground and realised it was his best mate and got there just in time to hold his hand before he passed on.
"I think the town here and the community and even the Horkan family, I think are relieved a bit that my brother Declan made it to his side to hold his hand during his final moments."
