An Irish police detective was shot dead after an attempted robbery near Dundalk, County Louth. a few miles from the Irish border on Friday night in a crime that has shocked the nation. It is 1996 since such a similar killing took place.
He was named as Detective Garda Adrian Donohue who was on escort duty for a large consignment of money leaving a local credit union to be placed in a bank. He was married with three children. His wife and brother are also in the Irish police force known as the Gardai.
He died after a botched robbery attempt when four armed men attempted to hijack the van containing the money. Detective Donohoe approached the men, shots were fired and Detective Donohue was hit in the head. He died of his wounds.
A massive police manhunt has followed.
A police statement read “The incident occurred outside the Lordship Credit Union at Bellurgan, Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth.
“A number of shots were fired during the incident resulting in the serious injury of a detective Garda attached to Dundalk Garda Station,” it said.
“A dark coloured car left the scene in the direction of Dundalk. At this stage we believe four people were in this car.”
President Michael D. Higgins said the killing was "a dreadful crime and all Irish people will be truly appalled by it."
Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said: "I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of my colleague Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.
"Detective Garda Donohoe died as a result of injuries sustained in the course of his duty following a shooting incident in Dundalk.
"At this time my thoughts and prayers and those of the entire force are with the family, friends and close colleagues of Adrian."
Local Sinn Fein councillor Jim Loughran described him as a quiet, decent family man.
"I just spoke to him last week on the street in town. I can't believe this has happened," he said.
Eighty-three Irish police have died in the line of duty since the force was formed in 1922, the vast majority during the early years and during the Northern troubles. Deaths in recent years have been extremely rare. Not since the murder of Garda Jerry McCabe in 1996 in Limerick by an IRA gang has a garda been shot while protecting a bank transfer.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seamus60 | Jan 29, 2013, 02:06 PM EST
Cat cut your tongue out ? Phultie
falconflash | Jan 28, 2013, 12:51 AM EST
Armored truck with 3/4 guards servicing several businesses on a daily basis is what's needed.........possibel foreign bandits?
anglo-norman | Jan 27, 2013, 06:04 PM EST
RIP, my heart goes out to his family
Jcs | Jan 27, 2013, 12:55 PM EST
Very sad.May he rest in peace, and may his family find peace.
IrelandNorth | Jan 27, 2013, 12:18 PM EST
Somebody may have needed extra money to pay the new Universal Social Charge (USC), whether or not they want the services which the USC are being imposed upon them for. Like subsidising public library facilities for foreign language students whose private language colleges don't supply, for students who don't pay the USC.
6countybrit | Jan 27, 2013, 06:08 AM EST
Come on Sinn Fein....where's the crys for a public enquiry?
6countybrit | Jan 27, 2013, 06:08 AM EST
Come on Sinn Fein....where's the crys for a public enquiry?
6countybrit | Jan 27, 2013, 06:08 AM EST
Come on Sinn Fein....where's the crys for a public enquiry?
6countybrit | Jan 27, 2013, 06:08 AM EST
Come on Sinn Fein....where's the crys for a public enquiry?
6countybrit | Jan 27, 2013, 06:08 AM EST
Come on Sinn Fein....where's the crys for a public enquiry?
6countybrit | Jan 27, 2013, 06:08 AM EST
Come on Sinn Fein....where's the crys for a public enquiry?
6countybrit | Jan 27, 2013, 06:06 AM EST
The hallmarks of the IRA, no doubt though will be denied by SinnFein. Don't even be surprised if Gerry Adams attempts to justify this. The Southern people are plain stupid for letting Sinn Fein in amongst the place. The IRA are more of a threat to the Irish people than they are to the British as they are engrossed in a criminal empire which goes hand in hand with violent Irish Republicanism. Amazingly this receives overwhelming support within Irish circles including 15 odd percent of the vote down south. Amazing to think hat 15 percent of the people support murder. Support for murder is much larger in the north amongst Irish republicans and also receives great support from America who are under the fanciful illusion that Ireland will be United one day. No doubt the perpretators of this crime will be apprehended and Sinn Fein will cry and whine and use every Human Rights excuse in order to get them released early, just like they did when Irish Republican scum murdered Gerry Mc Cabe in 1996. As I said, Sinn Fein are more of an enemy to Ireland and Irish America are so stupid and blended by ignorance that they support that. Idiots!
bob mcbride | Jan 26, 2013, 11:04 PM EST
Nuair a bhíonn daoine ocras siad steal! Unfotunately tá fear maith a lossed inthe tras dóiteáin. Ligeann Beidh súil cheartais a sheirbheáil!
aloistmartin | Jan 26, 2013, 09:15 PM EST
Serve God ~
Tom Mo | Jan 26, 2013, 08:02 PM EST
My deep respect and condolences to the family of Detective Detective Ardian Donohue. May he Rest in Peace. Irish Central staff writers can not be trusted to report accuratley and completely on killing of a lone detective on a money escort. Too many who's,What's, and why's left out. Is Saor Eire back in action? Guarda Richard Fallon was murdered by that crown back in the 70's and the family still maintains the government was in cahoots with the murderers. with the murderers.
barnie4001 | Jan 26, 2013, 06:07 PM EST
the sooner capital punishment is brought back the better
MontRoyalle | Jan 26, 2013, 05:39 PM EST
RIP Garda Donoghue. Dundalk is not a few miles from "the Irish Border" It is a British imposed border
DanOLoingsigh | Jan 26, 2013, 05:10 PM EST
RIP Garda Donohue…by all accounts a credit to the force, the GAA and his country…these thieves were after the deposits of small savers in a very small rural Credit union, so no elaborate bank heist, with armoured cash trucks and so on: ( Ireland has the highest Credit union membership in the world by percentage of population)…now is not the time to debate the rights and wrongs of local law enforcement involvement in protecting the savings of their neighbours, and probably themselves. Here’s hoping the cowards that carried out this execution are caught and dealt with very soon.
pilib04 | Jan 26, 2013, 03:29 PM EST
IrelandNorth, I would think it is the same reason the Fianna Fail/Greens Government bailed out the banks in the first place.
SarahinLA | Jan 26, 2013, 03:13 PM EST
Irelandnorth, the banks have been paying for garda/army escorts for a number of years, but it is a little silly because now the government/taxpayer own the banks.
IrelandNorth | Jan 26, 2013, 02:01 PM EST
A dangerous occupation in a dangerous world. But why are members of Án Gárda Síochána na h'Éireann (ÁGSÉ) doing providing armed cash escorts for private funds? Why are the state police being used as security guards? Why is the Irish taxpayer being used to subsidised banks? I did cash in transit escorts with the Irish Army in the late 1970s, and the banks never contributed to the cost. Why?
irishcop025 | Jan 26, 2013, 01:18 PM EST
When these scum are caught what will happen to them? Will they be helped out while on the run like Gerry Adams did for McCabe's murderers? They will claim to be political prisoners as usual. They will intimidate witnesses and they will be housed in their luxury prison in Castlereagh. Where are Gerry McCabe's killers today?
seamus60 | Jan 26, 2013, 01:06 PM EST
Phlutie. Who is YOU ?
saraindc | Jan 26, 2013, 12:43 PM EST
Where was the army detail on this. i grew up in Tipperary and always remember 2 fully armed army jeeps escorting money between banks and credit unions? There's no mention of any army support here. This is crazy = the times that are in it mean there have been increased hits on money vans collecting and picking up money from post offices, banks and credit unions. Bring the army details back. RIP Garda Donoghue and having members of the Gardai known to me I know his family will be supported well. This may however also be a good wake up call for the Government with regard to cutting the Garda force yet again. They're making a complete muck of running the country and its going to become a paradise for crime cutting the numbers in the force.
Searlit | Jan 26, 2013, 12:42 PM EST
Rest in Peace Garda Donoghue. I agree with Greg, also.
gobdawpaddy | Jan 26, 2013, 12:40 PM EST
A very sad event, as is it when we lose one of our finest. The peretrators if caught, will face a far more lenient penalty however than they would in the states. The Irish justice system is a joke. I read a story this week where a shoplifter pleaded with the judge to extend his jail sentence to 12 months because he wanted to get some dental work done while in prison. While this is laughable, what is more so, is the revelation that he had 213 previous convictions. What was he doing on the street? In the case of Det. Donohoe, I wonder why the second officer didn't return fire?
PhlutiePhan | Jan 26, 2013, 12:14 PM EST
You know that it was IRA connected.
mamaginnty | Jan 26, 2013, 12:04 PM EST
RIP. Garda Donoghue, this should never have happened, and I also agree with Greg, these are called security vans with usually two or three security men in the van. They should be fully trained for any attack. Our Gardai should not be involved, sometimes it would be the army following these vans. The banks and credit unions should be paying for better security teams.
seamus60 | Jan 26, 2013, 12:01 PM EST
Seanmor. Why would there be bleeding hearts calling for anything ?
seamus60 | Jan 26, 2013, 11:59 AM EST
Rest in peace detective Donahue.
Irish Jack | Jan 26, 2013, 11:54 AM EST
welcome to the USA. This happens every hour on the hour
tomgallagher | Jan 26, 2013, 11:33 AM EST
May he Rest in Peace but I have to agree with Greg.
tomgallagher | Jan 26, 2013, 11:31 AM EST
Detective Donahue, may he Rest in Peae but I have to agree with Greg.
greg | Jan 26, 2013, 09:13 AM EST
Detective Garda Donohue woule be alive today if a professional security firm trained in cash transit work with right protocols including not approaching would be robbers did this work. Time the government outsourced such work and let detectives do "detective work" and cash transit specialists move cash? May he rest in peace.
TomDegan | Jan 26, 2013, 08:58 AM EST
It's so ironic. When something this tragic happens in Ireland it's national news. Over here in the states - we hardly notice. It's pretty common over here across the pond, you know? The NRA would have the children bleed. Read on.... http://tomdegan.blogspot.com/2013/01/let-children-bleed.html Tom Degan Goshen, NY
Seanmor | Jan 26, 2013, 08:54 AM EST
The murdr of Detective Garda Donohue is a very serious atrosity, and all possible precautions should be taken to ensure that law-enforcement officials on both sides of the Border should be protected. The murders probably know that even if they are caught and convicted, bleeding hearts will be calling for mercy, not for any punishment.