Sinn Fein Duo Accused

A former IRA member once sentenced to death for killing a garda has alleged that Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness had ordered him to take unstable explosives to England for use in a bombing campaign. It was while shifting the explosives that Mr Rogers was encountered by An Garda Siochana and following a shooting incident Detective Garda Seamus Quaid died while a colleague was wounded.







Sinn Fein has denied the allegations levelled by Mr Rogers. Mr Adams has repeatedly said he was never amember of the IRA while Mr McGuinness claims to have left the organisation in 1974.

Rogers is not the first IRA escappe to have been involved in a gun attack on Gardai. Eddie Gallagher, another IRA escapee, was involved in a siege in 1975 when a garda was injured during a shooting incident. Mr Gallagher blasted his way out of Portlaoise Prison in 1974.

Garda at the siege of Tiede Heremma in 1975.

Spot the difference

The older people get, the more they complain that "it's not like it used to be". But take a look at these two photos - one from the Irish Photo Archive and one submitted to dublin.ie's gallery - taken 50 years apart and see the similarities.

Photo A

Aspiring cowboys enjoy the freedom of the road in Dublin during a CIE bus strike on 18 February 1961.
 

Photo B

Photo from dublin.ie, added by quincy.

Same, same, but different...

Boosting hurling in Kerry

Although Kerry may be one of the top dogs annually in the football championships, it doesn’t have as strong a presence in hurling. 

However, two men, John Lenihan (Chairman, South Kerry Juvenile Hurling Board) and Micheal O’Keeffe (PR Officer, South Kerry Juvenile Hurling Board) are on a mission to change this. They have organised a one-day seminar on “A History of Hurling, Our National Game”, which will be held at The Schoolhouse, Muckross, on Saturday April 26^th, 10.30am to 3.45pm.

There is a very strong line-up of speakers, include Seamus J. King, Paudie Butler, Tomás Mulcahy, Eddie Keher and Sean Kelly, with the Voice of the GAA, Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, acting as MC. The day will follow a format of talks covering topics such as:

“A History of Hurling” – “Why we should promote & protect Hurling as our National Sport” – “Hurling as it is Today” – “A Lifetime of Hurling & the way forward” – “The future of Hurling & it’s importance as Our National Sport”.

Hurling -- not for the faint-hearted: 1958 All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final. 

Tipperary 01-13. Kilkenny 01-08

There is a charge of €10 for tickets, but this will give you access to some of the most influential names in hurling. Tickets can be purchased from the Events page on the  Muckross House website (click here) or from the booking office: 064 6630804064 6630804. 

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Garda Uniform Call

In the midst of its woes over the taping scandal the Association of Garda Sergeant and Inspectors (AGSI) delegates have managed to divert their time to more mundane matters such as the garda uniform. 

At its annual conference in Kerry the Association unanimously backed a motion calling for the Garda Reserve to be issued with a different uniform so that the public can distinguish them from full time members of the force.

Eddie Golden of Cork north argued: 

To a member of the public attending a major event or socializing in any town or city we feel that the only differentiation at present is the GR on the epaulettes in front of the divisional number and we do not believe that is enough … This, to the public at large, means absolutely nothing. Even to a supervisory member at a large event at a distance, they can’t be easily seen. Garda Reserves are indistinguishable to the majority by virtue of wearing identical uniform to the full time members.

Garda at Green Street Court bomb blast, July 1976.

Purchase framed photographs and prints @ Irish Photo Archive

Fennelly to Cost €2 million

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has revealed that the Fennelly Commission of Investigation into the recording of telephone calls at Garda stations will cost around €2 million if the works is completed this year.

However, Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Niall Collins has queried the wisdom of an Investigation in order to discover 'what the Taoiseach knows about the circumstances of the retirement of the former Garda commissioner.'

Garda at the scene of the rescue of John O'Grady, 1987.

Purchase framed photographs and prints @ Irish Photo Archive

Policing on the Cheap

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) is holding its annual conference in Kerry.

Delegates attending the conference voted unanimously for a more robust charter for whistleblowers in the force.

The conference also heard that 'the whistleblowers controversy has damaged the reputation of the Garda Síochana more than anything else in the history of the force'. It was further charged that the government was looking 'policing on the cheap.'

Garda at the siege of Tiede Herrema, 1975




Purchase framed photographs and prints @ Irish Photo Archive

Civil Liberties & Fennelly Investigation

The Irish Council of Civil Liberties has called for the Fennelly investigation to be afforded a wider remit. The human rights lobby groups wants Justice Fennelly to bring Irish surveillance laws under increased scrutiny.

The ICCL said:

Moreover, since at least one other agency of the State (the Irish Prison Service) has since become the subject of public concern about the taping of telephone calls between prisoners and their legal representatives, the ICCL suggests that Mr Justice Fennelly be invited to review the adequacy of current law and practice in relation to the use of surveillance by all relevant agencies of the State.

Garda at scene of Tiede Herrema kidnapping in 1975.

Purchase framed photographs and prints @ Irish Photo Archive

Association of Garda Superintendents Annual Conference

General secretary of the Association of Garda Superintendents, Pat McCabe, has claimed at the body's annual conference in Kildare that there is no evidence of systemic corruption across the Garda, describing recent controversies as  merely “regrettable and unfortunate.”

 Crucially howver he acknowledged that Gardai valued loyalty over truth.

We have loyal members of the force but I would suggest they are loyal to the people of this country. That’s where their loyalties should and do lie.

Garda during rescue of kidnapped dentist, John O'Grady, 1987.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter addressed the conference yesterday evening.


Purchase framed photographs and prints @ Irish Photo Archive

Buying Some Time

The Irish Independent has claimed that the Coalition has brought itself some time in the 'Garda wars' that it has become embroiled in.

...yesterday, unveiling the terms of reference for the inquiry into these 30 years of garda-station tape recordings, it was hard to fault the wide remit given Mr Justice Nial Fennelly of the Supreme Court.

The inquiry in addition to looking into the taping of phone calls in Garda stations yesterday, will also investigate the monitoring of calls between remand prisoners in the state's jails and their legal representatives. 

Garda during rescue of kidnapped dentist, John O'Grady, 1987.

Purchase framed photographs and prints @ Irish Photo Archive

Cabinet Meets today on Fennelly

The Fennelly Inquiry which is tasked with investigating the latest scandal to hit the Garda is expected to last for one year. When it meets in Dublin today:
 

The Cabinet is expected to advance two of the biggest developments in policing in the history of the State ... Ministers will decide the terms of reference for the Fennelly Inquiry into recordings at garda stations and they will discuss the new independent authority that will oversee the force. It is understood a probe of illegal recordings made at prisons could now be included in the Fennelly Inquiry.

The political career Justice Minister Alan Shatter is said to be on a knife edge as a result of the scandal.

Garda Rowing Club, 1967.

Purchase framed photographs and prints @ Irish Photo Archive

Justice Fennelly to Head Commission of Investigation

The government has nominated  Judge Niall Fennelly to lead the Commission of Investigation into secret Garda tape recordings. Justice Fennelly serves on Ireland's Supreme Court, currently presided over by Susan Gageby Denham.

This is the latest in a long series of Judge led investigations of abuses of power in Irish political life.

Ms Mella Carroll Appointed To High Court on 6th October 1980

Purchase framed photographs and prints @ Irish Photo Archive

And The Band Played on

The Government has promised to set up commission of investigation into Garda taping.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said:

We have decided to establish a commission of investigation to establish the full extent of conversations with Garda stations and between gardaí, and I think it is important that we establish the full facts ... I certainly take it very seriously, that people who telephone a Garda station, their conversations may have been tape-recorded without their knowledge. I take very seriously the recording of conversations between gardaí, again without their knowledge.

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan has been the first high profile head to roll but in the wake of his resignation opposition TDs were seeking the departure from government of Justice Minister Alan Shatter. An Garda Siochana is obliged to dances to a mood music very different from half a century ago. 

A216 Garda band 1957

Purchase framed photographs and prints @ Irish Photo Archive