Garda shot dead in 1970 bank raid remembered at scene of his murder

A Garda member shot dead during service more than 50 years ago was remembered on Friday at the site of his murder, where a commemorative plaque has been erected.

While there were plans in 2020 to mark the 50th anniversary of the fatal shooting of Garda Dick Fallon, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the postponed of the event. A wreath-laying ceremony has now been held on Arran Quay, Dublin.

On April 3rd, 1970, Garda Fallon responded to a raid alert at the Royal Irish Bank on Arran Quay with colleagues Garda Paul Firth and Garda Patrick Hunter, from Mountjoy Garda station. Garda Fallon was shot by the raiders, who were never caught, and died at the scene. He was posthumously awarded the gold Scott medal for bravery. The event held on Friday was hosted by the Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Association and featured the Garda Band performing The Last Post and the national anthem.

Meanwhile, the Garda’s senior management team has undergone another change with the appointment of two officers to the position of assistant commissioner following similar promotions in recent months.

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Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary, who has been head of the Garda National Cybercrime Bureau, will take up his new role as assistant commissioner in charge of policing in the Garda’s Eastern Region from Monday. Assistant Commissioner Eileen Foster, who is the lead officer of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau, will assume responsibility for leading policing in the Garda’s Southern Region on the retirement of Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn next month.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said both newly promoted officers had an “extensive breadth of policing experience and knowledge”.

“This experience will be of great benefit to the Garda senior leadership team but also to their own regional leadership within the roles that they have now been assigned and which they will commence shortly,” he said. “Their leadership will also be invaluable as An Garda Síochána continues on our modernisation and change program.”

The new appointments are part of a period of change in the upper ranks of the Garda, with most of those at the rank of assistant commissioner at the start of this year having either recently retired or set to retire in coming months.