The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris are to attend a Garda Passing out Ceremony at the Garda College in Templemore this morning.
151 probationer Gardaí are to complete their attestation ceremony indoors at the College at 10am and will be available for duty from tomorrow.
The Ceremony was brought forward in a bid to boost the number of Gardaí available for duty over the Christmas period.
The probationer Garda will return to the Garda College on January 14th to complete their final training and exams expected to be finalised by January 24th 2024.
Prior to the Ceremony, at 9.30am, the Minister for Justice and the Garda Commissioner will lay a wreath at the entrance to the Garda College in the memory of Recruit Garda Gary Sheehan.
Recruit Garda Sheehan was murdered on duty, 40 years ago, on the 16th December 1983, whilst involved in a Search Operation for the kidnapped business man Don Tidey.
Gary Sheehan, born on 24th September, 1960, came from ’Barnesmore’, Kingscourt Road, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, he joined An Garda Síochána on 7th September, 1983.
On 24th November, 1983, business man, Mr. Don Tidey, was kidnapped by the Provisional I.R.A. A nationwide search was undertaken by An Garda Síochána. In mid December, 1983 the search focused in the Ballinamore area of County Leitrim based on intelligence. Huge Garda and Army resources were drafted in for the search operation in Ballinamore. Recruit Gardai from the Garda College, which included Recruit Garda Sheehan, were deployed on the search. On the 16th December, 1983 a Garda/Army search party confronted the I.R.A. gang holding Mr. Tidy in Derrada Wood, Ballinamore. Mr. Tidy was released. Recruit Garda Gary Sheehan and Private Patrick Kelly, Custume Military Barracks, Athlone, were shot dead during the confrontation.
