THE IRISH OBSERVER: Garda Collusion Fact or Fiction

Garda Collusion: Fact or Fiction

It is well documented and accepted by The Sinn Fein/Provisional IRA Leadership, that I joined Sinn Fein/PIRA in Monaghan Town in 1980 when I was 16-years-old. In the picture below I am carrying a symbolic coffin, front left, in Monaghan Town 1981, to commemorate the death of Hunger-striker Kieran Doherty. Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin would make a speech at the rally that day.

In 1980, there was from my simple observations, a crisis within An Garda Siochana, on one hand, An Garda Siochana were being told to Police Sinn Fein/PIRA as they would any other Criminal Gang, yet, The Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Jack Lynch was preventing An Garda Siochana investigating crimes such as Narrow Water in which nineteen British Soldiers were murdered by Sinn Fein/PIRA under the Command of Martin McGuinness.

Monaghan Town had a significant Sinn Fein/PIRA presence from 1969, and yet the number of Gardai to police them was small in comparison. An Garda Siochana was poorly resourced and poorly equipped. The Garda Station in Monaghan Town in 1980 was not fit for purpose and was reminiscent of something from the 1800s.

In response to this lack of resourcing and a general lack of direction and leadership, the Garda ‘Heavy Gang’ became dominant, many ‘suspects’ were badly beaten and forced to sign false confessions. This was best highlighted in the case of the Sallins Train Robbery, when innocent men admitted to a crime that they had no part in.

While Rule 8 of the Provisional IRA Constitution forbids members of Sinn Fein/PIRA from carrying out attacks on An Garda Siochana and The Irish Army, there were numerous attacks including murder directed at An Garda Siochana and the Irish Army.

Hatred of An Garda Siochana and the Irish Army was instilled by Sinn Fein/PIRA at training camps, and cult music played by the Wolfe Tones, such as ‘Take it down from the mast Freestate Traitors’ meant that if a Sinn Fein/PIRA member had the choice of going to prison or shooting a Garda or Irish Soldier, they did not hesitate to open fire.

When Garda Detective, Jerry McCabe was murdered by Sinn Fein/PIRA in cold blood in 1996, Kevin Walsh and his gang had been warned by the Provisional IRA Army Council in the person of Martin McGuinness, not to allow themselves to be arrested, due to political sensitivities at that time.

In 1998, I was asked by several journalists if I had been aware of Collusion between members of An Garda Siochana and Sinn Fein/Provisional IRA, in order to place such collusion in context, I explained that such collusion involved small numbers of Gardai.

When I made these disclosures about my knowledge of collusion to such journalists as Toby Harden for his book Bandit Country and Barrie Penrose, I was immediately attacked by corrupt politicians in The Republic such as John O’Donoghue TD, who was Minister for Justice at that time.

Since my disclosures in 1998 about collusion, my assertions have been vindicated by the findings of both The Morris Tribunal into Garda Corruption and The Smithwick Tribunal into Garda Collusion.

The Smithwick Tribunal was established in 2005 to investigate suggestions that members of An Garda Síochána or other employees of the State colluded in the fatal shootings of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and RUC Superintendent Robert Buchanan on the 20 March, 1989. The sole member of the tribunal was His Honour Judge Peter Smithwick.

The Morris Tribunal was set up in April 2002 to investigate complaints concerning some Gardaí of the Donegal Division. The Honourable Mr. Justice Frederick Morris, a former President of the High Court, was appointed to be the sole member of the tribunal.

Across the frontier with Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein/PIRA were making vast amounts of money from smuggling and other criminality, some Gardai were bought, some were compromised and some were willing accomplices.

In Monaghan Town, there was always a core of Gardai who were relentless in their pursuit of Sinn Fein/PIRA, these Gardai often viewed through the lens of John McCoy and Colm Brown. These were tough no nonsense Gardai, and they pursued Sinn Fein/PIRA no matter what any vote seeking, terrorist appeasing politician had to say.

Garda Inspector, Joseph Sullivan, colluded with Sinn Fein/PIRA, and while this was widely known, Justice Minister, John O’Donoghue TD signed off on Joseph Sullivan being promoted to Garda Supt, it was not unusual for the corrupt to be rewarded with promotion, see, Morris Tribunal.

Conclusion

There was collusion between members of An Garda Siochana and Sinn Fein/PIRA, the numbers involved were small and much of that collusion is now known thanks to the work of The Morris and Smithwick Tribunals.

The Conspiracy against Garda Sgt Maurice McCabe is also worth viewing in this context, as it highlights the extent to which some of the most senior Gardai, including The Commissioner, were prepared to go to cover-up rather than address corruption within the ranks.

Without the work of An Garda Siochana and the Irish Army across the frontier with Northern Ireland, the numbers murdered would have been much greater, every day, Gardai and Irish Army placed their lives on the line to protect their neighbours in Northern Ireland, that sacrifice must never be forgotten.

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A History of The IRA

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