The cleric who was chief-celebrant at the funeral of Detective Adrian Donohoe has recalled the community’s devastation and anger at the time.
Fr Michael Cusack, former parish priest of St Joseph’s Redemptorist Monastery, knew the 41-year-old and his wife Caroline well from being at the helm of remembrance Garda services.
The Rector, who moved to Dundalk, Co Louth, in 1999, recalled his emotions when Adrian’s widow asked him to oversee the service.
Fr Cusack told RTE Radio 1’s Drivetime: “I felt very humbled and overawed in some ways but very honoured to do it because in priestly ministry you have opportunities that come your way to try and be the voice of the people. And I think as a redemptorist, that’s what we try to do, to somehow articulate the pain and the suffering of the community.
“And being in touch with the feelings around Dundalk and Lordship at the time, people were absolutely devastated.
“They were furious that this could happen to one of their own and just the horror of seeing a young woman whose husband is taken from her and the two young children would really break anyone’s heart.”
He also remembered how he described during the funeral how gardai have to “dance with the devil” in the course of their duties.
Fr Cusack added: “Yes, I think I was probably in tune with that because of my own experience being from a Garda family.”
Adrian Donohoe was the 87th garda to be killed in the line of duty in 2013.
A total of 89 have lost their lives while protecting the public including:
Det Garda Colm Horkan: The brave 49-year-old was shot with his own weapon during a public order incident in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, on June 17. He had been in the same Garda class as Det Donohoe in 1994. Stephen Silver of Aughaward, Co Mayo, has been charged with the former Mayo under-21 footballer’s murder.
Garda Tony Golden: The cop was shot dead in Omeath, Co Louth, in 2015 while protecting Siobhan Phillips from Adrian Crevan Mackin. The psycho also took his own life after killing the woman.
Detective Jerry McCabe: The officer was gunned down in Adare, Co Limerick, on June 7, 1996, during an IRA raid.
The victim and Det Gda Ben O’Sullivan had been protecting a mail van carrying £80,000 cash.
Henry Byrne and John Morley: The pair were shot dead during a bank raid in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, in 1980. They pursued paramilitaries, believed to be INLA members.
Garda Michael Clerkin: He died in a bomb in Garryhinch, Co Offaly, in 1976 after a tip-off over an IRA plot to kidnap and kill TD Oliver J Flanagan.
