Gardai are investigating an accident early yesterday morning in which two young gardai died when their unmarked car hit a lamppost in north Co Dublin. Garda Gareth Harmon (28), stationed in Finglas for almost three years, and Mr Conor Griffin (25), a student garda on placement, were responding to a request for assistance from a patrol car pursuing a vehicle when they veered out of control.
Their bodies were removed to the Mater Hospital. Garda Harmon from Rush, Co Dublin, was driving. It is thought he was trying to turn onto Griffin Road from Glasanon Road.
The car, which was over 10 years old, was used by detectives for special duties. The two men were in the station when a patrol car attached to Santry station called to say a suspicious car was nearing Finglas. They used the unmarked car to respond.
The gardai from Santry had been tracking a car suspected of being unroadworthy and without tax or insurance. The driver of the car was later arrested.
The area was sealed off yesterday as Garda technical experts examined the scene.
Garda Griffin, from Lucan, Co Dublin, was approaching the end of his training and was due to graduate from the Garda College in Templemore in three months.
He had been assigned to Finglas station early in his training and had completed section rotations with the detective unit, the junior liaison officer, fingerprint experts and the drugs task force.
A gloom descended on Finglas station yesterday as colleagues learned of the incident. Members spoke of two "active and lively" men who had been friends and socialised together. They were both members of the station's "A" unit and were nearing the end of their 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. night shift when the crash occurred.
Chief Supt John McLoughlin yesterday met the two bereaved families and described the incident as a huge tragedy. "The officers in the Finglas unit were very close and cared for one another. They too feel they have lost a member of their family," he said.