Two gardai murdered 40 years ago during an armed robbery were remembered yesterday while prayers were also said for tragic Detective Colm Horkan.
Hundreds attended the anniversary ceremony in Loughglynn, Co Roscommon, where John Morley and Henry Byrne were killed.
Their widows Frances Morley and Ann Byrne laid wreaths at the stone memorial plaque.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said: “Keeping people safe is what gardai do every day of the week.
“But there are times, thankfully relatively rare, when they put themselves at extraordinary risk in the exercise of their duty.”
Det Garda Horkan was coincidentally at the unveiling of the plaque in 2017 and his family were at the ceremony yesterday.
The 49-year-old was shot dead in Castlerea on June 18.
His brother Dermot said: “We were invited to attend and we wanted to come. Colm was mentioned lots of times and that meant a lot and especially when there’s two families here remembering their own.
“People have been great and we’ve had overwhelming support.
“It shows here that 40 years later how fondly Garda Morley and Garda Byrne are remembered and I’m sure in 40 years it will be the same for Colm.”
Colm’s dad Marty added: “It was a lovely event and ceremony.”
Bishop Kevin Doran, Garda Chaplain Fr Joe Kennedy and Fr Richard Gibbons, from Knock, Co Mayo – where Det Garda Morley and Garda Byrne were from – led prayers.
