Gardaí Remembered at Dublin Castle Service

Why this is here: Sheila McKeown attended the service to honor Garda Ciarán Jones, who died in 2011 while warning drivers about an unstable bridge during a storm.

Ninety members of An Garda Síochána killed in the line of duty were remembered today at a service held at Dublin Castle, Ireland. Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly and Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan attended alongside family and friends. A remembrance medal went to the family of Garda Kevin Flatley, who died last year when struck by a motorcycle during a checkpoint in north Dublin.

Attendees shared memories of those lost. Sheila McKeown honored Garda Ciarán Jones, who died in 2011 warning motorists about a dangerous bridge.

Michael Duffy remembered Garda David Dowd, his best friend and colleague, killed by a train in 1989 while responding to a call. Jim and Francis Connolly traveled from Tipperary to commemorate Garda Denis Connolly, a hurler who died in a traffic collision at age 20.

The service also acknowledged those who died while serving abroad, like Sergeant Paul Reid, killed in Sarajevo in 1995. Details of each officer’s service and personality offered a glimpse into the personal costs of policing. The circumstances surrounding each death remain a stark reminder of the dangers faced by Gardaí.