Former Garda commissioner Doherty dies after long illness

FORMER GARDA commissioner Eamonn Doherty has died following a long illness.

The 86-year-old passed away on Saturday morning at the Beacon hospital, south Dublin.

Originally from Donegal, Mr Doherty joined An Garda Síochána in 1943 and spent 45 years in the force, retiring in 1988.

He was the first member of the force to train with the FBI in the US and was also the first training officer appointed to the new Garda Training Centre at Templemore in 1964.

He was commissioner from November 1987 to December 1988. On retirement, he was the government’s nominee to the EU Task Force on Drugs. He also chaired the Doherty Commission which led to the transfer of Air Sea Rescue Service from the Irish Air Corps to the Irish Coast Guard.

In 2006, he received the Ireland Medal Award from the Royal Life Saving Society for his work on the commission.

In 1987 he was Donegal Man of the Year and Irish American of the Year in Chicago.

He was also a patron of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association and had been chairman of Cospoir, the Irish Sports Council. Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy extended his sympathies to Mr Doherty’s family yesterday.

He said the former commissioner had consistently demonstrated a high level of professionalism and dedication to the community throughout his distinguished career.

“This continued to be a marked feature of his life following his retirement from An Garda Síochána in 1988.

“In everything he did, he worked to make a difference to the lives of others in a spirit of public service,” he said.

He also said the late Mr Doherty had given great leadership to An Garda Síochána during difficult times and his important contributions in areas such as training and sport influenced many careers and helped mould the organisation.

His funeral Mass will be held at the Church of St Paul of the Cross, Mount Argus, Dublin, at 11am tomorrow, followed by burial at Mount Venus Cemetery.