Northern Ireland

Garda Anthony Golden: Tributes to 'gentle giant' Garda

The coffin of Garda Tony Golden is carried into St Oliver Plunkett Church, in Blackrock, Co Louth for his state funeral 
The coffin of Garda Tony Golden is carried into St Oliver Plunkett Church, in Blackrock, Co Louth for his state funeral  The coffin of Garda Tony Golden is carried into St Oliver Plunkett Church, in Blackrock, Co Louth for his state funeral 

MOURNERS at the funeral of murdered Garda Anthony Golden have heard how the father-of-three gave his life protecting his community.

More than 2,000 uniformed members of An Garda Síochana stood outside Saint Oliver Plunkett Church in Blackrock, Co Louth, to pay a final tribute to their colleague who died while trying to protect a young mother from her violent partner.

Garda Golden’s wife Nicola and the couple’s three children, Lucy, Alex and Andrew, all aged under eight, were surrounded by relatives, including the Ballina native’s parents Breege and David, during the mass.

The 300-strong congregation inside the small church included President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Garda Commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan as well as senior PSNI officers and representatives of the Catholic, Church of Ireland, Methodist faiths from both side of the border.

Chief celebrant Fr Pádraig Keenan, parish priest of Haggardstown and Blackrock, said the stillness of last Sunday evening had been shattered in the village of Omeath when gunman Adrian Crevan Mackin shot Newry woman Siobhan Phillips, leaving the young mother fighting for her life, before murdering Garda Golden. Mackin, who had links to dissident republicans and hardline criminals, then took his own life.

“The magnitude of what took place brings to mind all those who have been affected in so many ways. Tragically it resulted in the cold blooded murder of Garda Tony Golden in the line of duty. Murder is evil, murder has no place in our society,” said Fr Keenan.

The cleric asked mourners to pray for mother-of-two Ms Phillips, who remains in a critical condition in Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital.

Fr Keenan said the Garda’s murder was a reminder of all the people who had suffered because of violence and how north Louth and the Cooley Peninsula had been affected by the “tragic history” of the Troubles and the 2013 murder of Detective Garda Adrian O’Donohoe, at Lordship Credit Union in nearby Bellurgan.

“Too many hearts have been broken, and lives shattered,” he added.

He said that Garda Golden had lost his life while doing his duty on behalf of the Irish State and all of society.

“In that spirit he was assisting a member of the public, giving her protection, guarding her peace. It portrays the unique nature of the role, profession, dedication and commitment, the men and women of An Garda Síochána give to the people of this island,” Fr Keenan said.

During the homily the murdered Garda was described as a “gentle giant” and “one of life’s gentlemen”.

Earlier, symbols of Garda Golden’s life were brought to the altar, including a Ballina Stephanites GAA club jersey and hurley by his friend Keith Gutherie and family photographs by Mrs Golden’s brother Jonathan and his wife Tara Shirley.

Garda Golden’s colleague and friend Kevin Clearly offered an insight into now the father like to relax after work when he presented a remote control, can of Coke, crisps, ‘Drifter’ bar of chocolate and Hunky Dorys.

Garda Golden, who was laid to rest in St. Paul's cemetery in Heynestown, is the 88th member of the force to lose his life in the line of duty.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme before the funeral, Dermot O'Brien, president of the Garda Representative Association, said gardaí all over the Republic had been left grief-stricken and numb by the murder of a colleague during a “bread and butter type call”.

“They are going to ask themselves, those that attended the same type of call on Sunday that it could have been them. These are very similiar calls that a lot of members did on Sunday and they will sit back and reflect on what happened to Tony as they responded to a similar call,” he said.