Gardai reacted with fury last night after thugs vandalised a memorial to slain hero detective Adrian Donohoe.
“This was an act of malice, cowardice and plain stupidity,” Garda Representative Association leader Brendan O’Connor told us last night following the attack on the memorial to the murdered detective in his home town in Co Cavan.
The memorial, in the village of Kilnaleck where Det Gda Donohoe, 41, was born and bred, happened in the last week – but details only emerged on Monday.
READ MORE: Evil Aaron Brady turns to meditation in prison as Garda killer locked up in isolation unit
It’s understood thugs damaged stone plinths and ornaments around the memorial, placed there to honour the detective gunned down during an armed robbery in Co Louth just over nine years ago.
Sources said gardai were investigating several theories in relation to the attack – including that it was carried out by mindless vandals and was not any sinister campaign directly connected to the murder of the officer.
“Nothing has been ruled out yet, but at this stage the belief is it was young lads just doing some mindless vandalism.”
Gardai last night confirmed they were investigating the attack – and appealed for witnesses to help them snare the people behind it.
A spokeswoman said: “Gardai are investigating an incident of criminal damage to the memorial of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in the Green, Kilnaleck, Co Cavan.
“It is understood the incident happened in the last number of days.
“Gardai in Cavan are appealing to anyone who may have information in relation to this incident to contact them on 049 436 8800.”
And the sickening attack drew fury from Brendan O’Connor of the GRA, the body that represents more than 12,000 rank and file gardai – and of which Det Gda Donohoe was a member before killer Aaron Brady shot him dead at the Lordship Credit Union at Bellurgan in Co Louth in January 2013.
Garda O’Connor told us: “I am horrified that any attack would take place at a memorial to a fallen colleague, one that paid the ultimate price for protecting the public with bravery and honour.
“This was an act of malice, cowardice and plain stupidity.
“The thoughts of the GRA, and every right-thinking member of our society is with the family of Adrian and his wife Caroline and their loved ones.
“The Irish public owe Adrian a great debt.”
The attack came just weeks after a Co Armagh man was told he would be extradited from Britain to face trial over the armed robbery in which Det Gda Donohoe was murdered.
Businessman Jimmy Flynn, once a best pal of killer Brady, has been in custody in London since last summer.
The Director of Public Prosecutions here has ordered gardai to charge Mr Flynn, 30, with the January 2013 armed robbery of the Lordship Credit Union outside Dundalk in Co Louth in which Detective Garda Donohoe was shot dead by Brady.
The DPP has further ordered that Mr Flynn be charged with conspiring with Brady and others to commit burglaries between September 11, 2012 and January 23, 2013 – two days before the murder of the detective.
Flynn, from south Armagh, was a close personal friend of Brady, 30, but they later had a falling out.
He had objected to the extradition and claimed it should not go ahead due to the passage of time – and because he is suffering from memory loss He also claimed he was suffering from panic attacks.
But Westminster Magistrates Court ruled at the end of April that the extradition should go ahead.
Another man, Brendan Treanor, 33, of Castletown Road, Dundalk, Co Louth, is in custody on identical charges and is due to stand trial before the Special Criminal Court later this year, as is Flynn.
Neither man is charged with the murder of the detective.
Aaron Brady, of Crossmaglen in Armagh, is the only person convicted of that offence and is serving a 40 year sentence.
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