The garda who was with Det Garda Jerry McCabe when he was shot dead almost 17 years ago has condemned as “barbaric” the murder of Det Garda Adrian Donohoe.
Speaking in Limerick yesterday at the opening of a book of condolence for the slain 41-year-old, former detective garda Ben O’Sullivan was visibly upset as he recalled the murder of his own partner when on duty in Adare, Co Limerick, almost two decades ago. He himself was shot a number of times that day in June 1996 during a botched post office robbery.
“No words from me would adequately condemn this barbaric crime because it’s beyond the ability of any form of words to be able to condemn to the degree that I would wish, such an atrocity,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
The book of condolence for Det Garda Donohoe was opened in front of a bust of Jerry McCabe at Henry Street Garda station.
“Forgive me for being a small bit tear-jerked but more has happened than I had foreseen. When I came in the door and saw Jerry’s bust right in front of me it was history repeating itself really,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
Recovery
“My heart is very much with both families, the Donohoes and Joe Ryan. I hope that he will recover as good as I have and I’m so delighted to have recovered as well as I did and far better than I ever expected to be. That’s the truth of it,” he said.
Mr O’Sullivan said he had hoped the dark days of what happened to his partner were over, and called on those responsible for killing Det Garda Donohoe to allow the Garda Síochána do their job in peace.
“In my case time passed on. Thank God it passed on for almost 17 years before such an atrocity [happened again]. I hoped it might have been finished for good but let’s hope this is the last one. And a message to those who are the instigators of this: please, let the people of this country live. Let the Garda Síochána live. The Garda Síochána are protecting the people of this country and they should be allowed to continue doing it in the marvellous way they have since 1922.”
‘Broken hearts’
Among those who also signed the book of condolences in Limerick yesterday was Jerry McCabe’s brother Mike McCabe.
“It’s not very nice to be standing here again with a copycat situation.
“We thought all the broken hearts were mended but it seems there’s a hell of a lot more broken hearts out there. Our hearts and the hearts of the McCabe family and our love are with the [Donohoe] family. Because we know exactly what they are going through,” he said.
Det Garda McCabe’s widow Ann McCabe also signed the book of condolence, and was joined by her late husband’s sisters. She said all of their thoughts were with the Donohoe family.