A state funeral has been held for the Irish police officer murdered by a republican dissident who was out on bail facing paramilitary offences.
Both houses of the Irish parliament were closed for the day and all flags on state buildings across the republic were flying at half-mast in honour of garda Tony Golden. He was shot dead inside a house near Omeath in Co Louth close to the border with Northern Ireland on Sunday evening.
Golden was killed by Adrian Crevan Mackin who also seriously wounded his estranged partner Siobhan Phillips. Mackin then shot himself during the incident.
Ahead of the funeral Phillips’s family paid tribute to Golden stating that his heroic action had saved their daughter’s life.
Speaking to a packed St Oliver Plunkett church, whose congregation included Irish president Michael D Higgins and taoiseach Enda Kenny, Father Padraig Keenan condemned the culture of violence that led to Golden’s murder. It is the second time in three years that a garda officer has been shot dead in the north Louth border region.
Garda in Blackrock, Co Louth, for Golden’s funeral. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA
Keenan told mourners: “The magnitude of what took place brings to mind all those who have been affected in so many ways. Tragically it resulted in the cold-blooded murder of garda Tony Golden in the line of duty. Murder is evil, murder has no place in our society. Murder must stop. All forms of violence must stop.”
He added: “Garda Tony is the 88th member of an Garda Síochána who has died protecting our country, our society and our community. It is 88 members too many. He like all the others is mourned by the entire nation. His murder brings to mind once again all the families and communities that have been affected on our island.
“Garda Tony’s death once again reflects how north Louth and the Cooley peninsula have been affected by the tragic history of the Troubles on the island of Ireland, and especially the murder of detective garda Adrian O’Donohoe, three years ago at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan.
“Too many hearts have been broken, and lives shattered. I say on this day, from the depths of my heart – and I am sure I speak for all people of goodwill – when I say that there is no place for violence in our society, violence is wrong, always wrong.”
Keenan also asked mourners packed inside the small parish church and those outside watching on two giant television screens erected in its grounds to pray for Phillips. She remains in a critical condition in hospital with her family at her bedside.
Golden was, like the vast majority of the Garda Síochána, unarmed when he answered a 999 call about fears for Phillips’s safety at the hands of Mackin. The Northern Ireland-born 24-year-old had been out on bail facing charges of belonging to an illegal organisation – the IRA – at the time.
A picture has emerged of Mackin which reveals a history of domestic violence towards his partner and a fascination with guns. Garda sources revealed on Thursday that Mackin was suspected of importing deactivated guns bought from the US on the internet. Mackin would then use his skills in weapons technology to reactivate the weapons which were then sold on to both hard-line republican dissidents and criminals in the border region.
Two years ago the Police Service of Northern Ireland found extreme animal pornography and images of bestiality on a mobile phone they seized from Mackin after he was arrested for beating up Phillips. Mackin received a suspended sentence for those offences in Newry courthouse.
