The Catholic Primate of the United States, Cardinal John O'Connor, Archbishop of New York, has recommended to Pope John Paul 11 that Co Clare man, Mr William Geary, be made a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.
The former Garda superintendent celebrated his birthday in Manhattan last weekend. He is awaiting a Department of Justice decision on his family's submission that he was wrongfully dismissed in 1928 for allegedly accepting a £100 bribe from the IRA.
His case was reported in The Irish Times and his family claim he was never allowed to defend himself.
An editorial in the current edition of the Limerick Leader said that Mr Geary was singled out for special mention at St John The Evangelist Church, New York, on his birthday. He received messages of goodwill from the President, Mrs McAleese, and the Irish Consul General "but the simple letter to say that he had been blameless as a Garda officer was not forthcoming."