Funeral of garda brother-in-law of Seán Doherty

SEVERAL HUNDRED people attended the funeral Mass of former garda Thomas (Tom) Nangle in his native parish of Geevagh, Co Sligo, yesterday.

Mr Nangle, a brother-in-law of the former minister for justice Seán Doherty, had been ill for some time. He was 55.

The former garda  came to national political prominence for a short period in 1982 at the time of the so-called "Dowra affair".

Yesterday, however, he was remembered for his courage during his long illness, his love of life, his passion for music and for Gaelic football, especially his local GAA club Geevagh.

Members of the club formed a guard of honour at the removal to St Joseph's church, Geevagh, on Monday evening, and a club jersey rested on the coffin.

Among those who attended the removal and funeral Mass were former EU commissioner Ray MacSharry, Minister of State Michael Finneran, Deputies Eamon Scanlon (FF) Denis Naughten (FG), John Perry (FG) and former senator Pascal Mooney.

In a warm tribute, Mr Nangle's cousin Kevin Waters referred to his  24 years as a member of the Garda Síochána, saying he had been "an excellent  member of the force " who had no equal when it came to preparing cases for court and who was meticulous about his work.

Despite his passion for the GAA,  Mr Nangle  had probably been more useful to Geevagh as a mentor and umpire than he ever was as an actual player, Mr Waters added.

Mourners laughed as he remarked that Mr Nangle did not always play by the rules "and occasionally made them up as he went along".

Mr Nangle's sister Maura Doherty, widow of the former minister, said that in the final months of his life he was one of the driving forces behind the centenary celebrations for the Geevagh Prisoners, 10 men from the parish who were jailed in 1908 when they prevented postmen from delivering eviction notices to local tenants.

Dowra affair:In 1982 Garda Nangle had been charged with assaulting a man in a pub. However, the charge was dismissed at Dowra District Court in Co Cavan after the alleged victim failed to appear.

He had been arrested and detained by the RUC hours before the court sitting. At the time the then minister for justice Seán Doherty, a brother-in-law of Garda Nangle, insisted that he had no role in the arrest of the witness, James McGovern.