An Irish policeman is under investigation and faces criminal charges after the death of three gang members in a car chase. The circumstances surrounding the officer’s charging beggars belief.  

It marks a low point in “woke” behavior in Ireland, a place where wokeness is alive and well.

The arrested cop was in a patrol car tracking down robbery suspects in a genteel area of Dublin when the three suspected criminals whizzed by in a BMW after carrying out major burglaries. All were hardened criminals and the police were on their trail for some time.

The two cops put on the blinking red lights and set off in pursuit. It was a wild chase with the cops requesting a garda helicopter which proved unavailable as well as police back up which was slow in coming.

The gang pulled what has become a favored tactic with some criminals. They drove against the traffic down a motorway entrance with the cops in pursuit.

The gang then accelerated wildly and the cop car slowed down knowing the chase was likely futile.

Up ahead the BMW smashed head-on onto a heavy truck and the BMW exploded in a fire killing the three suspects inside.

The three men had rap sheets as long as your arm. Carl Freeman had 62 previous convictions for assault, burglary, and endangerment while driving.  His lawyer told the court that Freeman had ADHD, addiction issues, and a difficult upbringing.

Graham Taylor had amassed 121 previous convictions by 2019, including 11 for dangerous driving and others for burglary, handling stolen property, criminal damage, and assaulting a garda.

In 2010, he was jailed for six months after leading gardaí on another high-speed chase. During that incident, he drove on the wrong side of the road with the headlights off, forcing other motorists to take evasive action. He also reversed into a Garda car three times and was eventually arrested.

So, these men were hardly altar boys and in addition, the collision seriously injured the truck driver.

Imagine the furor at the inquest when the coroner announced the Director of Public Prosecutions wanted to charge the cop with dangerous driving.

It baffles the mind. He was doing his job, an extremely dangerous one, and was now being charged with a crime.

It seems like the entire country is up in arms and rightfully so. Now police cannot chase wrong-way drivers, and criminals know they are safe if they can navigate through oncoming traffic to the next exit.

There is no question the law is an ass on this occasion and the cop should be handed a medal for bravery, not prosecuted.  But it appears coddling criminals and woke actions are alive and well in Ireland.

The second case of wokeness concerns a decision that children under 12 years of age cannot play competitive GAA games where there are winners and losers as it may affect their confidence.

“An email sent from Croke Park headquarters to GAA clubs around the country outlines that keeping, recording or publishing of scores, competitions, blitzes or events that involve knockout stages or the handing out of winner or runners-up medals, trophies, awards or prizes will be sanctioned,” the Irish Independent reported last week.

But it is precisely through winning, and more often through losing, that a young person learns some of life’s lessons. 

Having meaningless games seems an absurd practice, especially as kids are ready for junior high school at 12 where definite lessons on winning and losing and accepting both results will surely happen.

Not everyone deserves a trophy for their efforts. But the GAA in Ireland clearly disagrees.