Longford born Garda Inspector to be posthumously honoured with Gold Scott Medal

A Longford born Garda Inspector who died in the line of duty will be posthumously honoured with a Gold Scott Medal for bravery at a ceremony on Friday, May 26 at Walter Scott House, Military Road, Dublin 8.

Samuel Donegan, born on November 20, 1911, was a native of Ballintampen, Ballymacormack, Co Longford.

On June 8, 1972, Gardaí led by Inspector Sam Donegan were operating with the Irish Defence Forces along the Cavan/ Fermanagh border.

Information was received that a suspect device had been identified near Legakelly, Co Cavan. Insp Donegan approached the suspect device and was able to determine that it was a hoax.

A short distance away, on a country lane at Drumboghanagh, a second similar device was also located. As Inspector Donegan approached this IRA booby-trap bomb to carry out an assessment, the device exploded. 

Insp Donegan died a short time later from injuries sustained.

Shortly before he turned 23, Insp Donegan joined An Garda Síochána on September 4, 1934 and he was assigned Registration No. 8586.

He was promoted to Sergeant in 1952 and Inspector in 1967.

Insp Donegan, a married man with six children, served in Co Mayo and Co Sligo before being transferred to Cavan in 1967.

As a young Garda in North Mayo, Sam was taken by ambulance to hospital in Ballina and the ambulance nurse was Mai Marren, a native of Curry, Co Sligo. 

After he was discharged, Sam returned on his motor-bike to ask her out on a date. They married in August 1940 and went on to have six children - four daughters Maura, Kathleen, Frances  and Sheila; and two sons John and Michael. Mai died on March 18, 2006 at the age of 95 years. 

A memorial to mark the 50th anniversary of the killing of Insp Donegan in the line of duty took place last year at Cavan Garda Station. The event was organised by the Garda Síochána Retired Members Association (GSRMA) Cavan branch.

While last October, speaking on the way into a service acknowledging “hidden victims of the Troubles in the Republic of Ireland” at St Tighernach’s Church in Clones, Co Monaghan, Insp Donegan's son, Michael, said he and fellow victims felt they had been “ignored by the authorities”.

“The peace process has moved on and it is wonderful that it has, but I suppose I feel that people who have suffered because of these events many years ago, and in many cases are still suffering, they deserve their suffering to be recognised,” he said as he arrived for the 10th annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving organised by the victims’ organisation South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF). 

Mr Donegan criticised what he said was a failure by the authorities in the Republic of Ireland to offer therapy, counselling and other services that may help victims.

Families bereaved during Troubles call for more state recognition of 'hidden' victims

The Scott Medal is the highest award that can be bestowed by the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána and is awarded for ‘most exceptional bravery and heroism involving the risk of life in the execution of duty’.

The ceremony will take place at the An Garda Síochána National Bureau Headquarters, Walter Scott House.  Walter Scott House is named after Colonel Walter Scott.

11 Scott medals will be awarded at Friday's ceremony including;
• 1 Gold Medal (Posthumously)
• 7 Silver Medals
• 3 Bronze Medals (1 Posthumously)

Gold Scott Medal
Inspector Samuel Donegan, 8586 (posthumously)

Silver Scott Medal
Sergeant Edward Griffin, 23682K
Detective Garda Darren Carter, 32776L
Detective Garda Enda Jennings, 33019A
Garda Louis Browne, 25440A

Glenties, Donegal 22nd February 2020: A male armed with a high velocity rifle was walking through Glenties, Co. Donegal and discharged a number of shots.  Front line uniform and plain clothes Gardaí responded to and contained the scene whilst coming under fire from the armed male.  The members subsequently arrested the male, who has been charged and convicted.

Silver Scott Medal
Sergeant Andrew O’Connor, 28670B
Detective Garda Niall Minnock, 31366A
Garda Conor Garland, 32132L

Ballymun, Dublin 11th March 2019: Gardaí responded to a call of a male armed with a firearm in the vicinity of shops in Poppintree, Ballymun. On arrival at the scene Gardaí observed a male running with what appeared to be a black sub machine gun in his hand.  The male ran into a private house followed by the three Gardaí.  The male ran into the bathroom of the house and as the members followed a number of shots were discharged from the bathroom. The Gardaí tackled the male in the bathroom and the firearm was safely recovered.  Gardaí then observed what appeared to be a grenade on the floor of the bathroom.  The members arrested the male and safely escorted him from the house.  An Irish Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit attended the scene to examine the grenade and a controlled explosion was conducted.  The male has been charged and convicted.

Bronze Scott Medal:
Sergeant PJ Gallagher, 23097K
Garda Thomas McGuiness, 17300B

Aughamore Far, Sligo 7th October 1983: Gardaí were on proactive anti-crime patrols in County Sligo when they came across a number of vehicles parked up in a rural layby late at night.  The two Gardaí were overpowered by a number of armed males and ordered at gunpoint to lie face down on the ground.  The members were bundled first into a van and then the boot of a car when they were driven towards Bawnboy, Co Cavan.  There, they were ordered into a second hijacked car and driven to Kilnaleck, Co Cavan where the car was abandoned.  The members successfully released themselves from the boot of the car and raised the alarm.

Bronze Scott Medal
Sergeant Daniel Kelleher, 19904D (Posthumously).

Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim, 16th December 1983: On 24th November 1983, Mr. Don Tidey, a prominent businessperson was abducted in Rathfarnham, County Dublin, by armed members of the IRA posing as members of An Garda Síochána.

On 16th December 1983, when Mr. Tidey was in his twenty-third day of captivity a large search party of members of An Garda Síochána supported by Irish Army personnel assigned to the 58th battalion, based in Finner Camp, Co Donegal, were undertaking a search of a Drumcroman Wood, Derradda Ballinamore, Co Leitrim.

The IRA hideout was discovered and Mr. Don Tidey was released from capture.

During the course of the search Garda Gary Sheehan and Private Patrick Kelly were shot, fatally wounded and died at the scene.

Despite the active shooting and in full knowledge of the potential danger, Detective Garda Kelleher provided armed cover to other Garda members who were escorting Mr. Tidey to safety. A car then approached at high speed and a number of shots were discharged by the occupants of the car.  This resulted in Detective Garda Kelleher being shot and injured in both legs.
 
Subsequently, three people were convicted relating to criminal charges arising from their involvement in the abduction of Mr. Tidey.