'Giant of kindness' - anniversary for garda shot dead 40 years ago
Sergeant Patrick 'PJ' Morrissey was shot dead in the line of duty while responding to a robbery at the labour exchange in Ardee on 27 June 1985.
He was 49 years old and married with four children. In 1986, he was posthumously awarded the Scott Gold Medal for bravery.
In a statement released to mark the 40th anniversary of his death, his family said Sergeant Morrissey will never be forgotten.
"We knew him as a giant of kindness and strength and someone who belonged strongly in fairness and in giving people chances to rectify their lives," his family said.
"He believed strongly in the power of humanity and common decency."
The statement said Sergeant Morrissey's former colleagues in the Garda Sub Aqua Unit and in Collon garda station and the other stations where he was posted alongside those in the Garda Choir "have paid many hearts felt tributes throughout the years since 1985 - they most certainly have never forgotten him, nor us as a family".
A remembrance ceremony was recently held in Collon while a specially crafted bench in memory of the late garda sergeant was also unveiled.
An anniversary mass will be held in his home town of Belturbet, Co Cavan, tomorrow and will be attended by his widow, Bernie, and their children Martin, Brian, Mary and Aideen.
Victim and survivor support group SEFF has sewn quilts made up of different panels illustrating the memories of families of victims of terrorism across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain.
The group has said the panel on the quilt dedicated to Sergeant Morrissey aims to remember him as a hero but also who he was outside of his job.
The panel depicts the late garda as a diver wearing fins in the water and surrounded by musical notes to illustrate his interests in life.
In a statement, SEFF Director Kenny Donaldson said forty years ago Sergeant Morrissey was "stolen away from his family by subversives", adding that "the murder of PJ shocked and appalled many people".
"Despite what they have been subjected to, the Morrissey family have sought to live their lives in a manner bringing honour to his memory. They represent the values of fairness, respect and commitment to service which PJ's life reflected," he added.
Some of the quilts that the group has created will be exhibited at Belturbet Heritage Railway Museum on Saturday evening following the mass in memory of Sergeant Morrissey.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
02-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Louth Gardai pay tribute to their late colleague Sergeant Paddy Morrissey
The popular officer who lived in Drogheda was stationed in Collon at the time. A new bench in honour of his memory was unveiled recently after a remembrance ceremony. Sergeant Morrissey was shot dead following a robbery at the Labour Exchange in Ardee, Co Louth, June 27, 1985. He bravely pursued the armed robbers, Martin McHugh and Noel Callan, both members of the renegade INLA, Irish National Liberation Army, and was killed as he chased them in a field. The two Armagh men were found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of his capital murder and sentenced to death. This was later commuted by the Government to 40 years penal servitude. Both killers were released from prison within days of each other after serving 30 years in 2015. They got their sentence reduced by 25pc - 10 years - for good behaviour. In a post on Facebook Louth Gardai said: "Today we remember Sergeant Morrissey and the ultimate sacrifice he and his family made while he served and protected the community of Co Louth. "Sergeant Morrissey was posthumously awarded the Gold Scott Medal for bravery in 1986. Rest in peace." The hero Garda was 49 years old at the time and unarmed when he confronted the brutal cowardly gunmen. He left behind his beloved wife Bernie and four children, Martin, Brian, Mary and Aideen. who were then aged between 12 to 19 years old. In a statement to mark the 40 anniversary of his death the Morrissey family said: "We knew him as a giant of kindness and strength, and someone who believed strongly in fairness and in giving people chances to rectify lives - he believed strongly in the power of humanity and common decency. "His former colleagues in the Garda Sub Aqua Unit, in Collon Garda Station and the other stations where he was posted, and in the Garda Choir have posted many heartfelt tributes throughout the years since 1985 - they most certainly have never forgotten him nor us as a family. "Tomorrow marks the 40 year anniversary in remembering PJ who was ultimately a guardian of the peace, a guardian of the community, a family man, and a good friend to so many. "He was perhaps most at home in his garden, or on the River Erne or River Boyne, diving, fishing or swimming in the water.. "In the past 40 years that have passed he has been remembered with profound loss by our family, and with high regard and warmth by friends and former colleagues. "Our family wishes to thank all who have shown so much support and kindness in the last 40 years." Paddy Morrissey was originally from Belturbet, Co Cavan.
RTÉ News
27-06-2025
- RTÉ News
'Giant of kindness' - anniversary for garda shot dead 40 years ago
A number of events are taking place to remember a garda who was shot dead by armed robbers in Co Louth, 40 years ago today. Sergeant Patrick 'PJ' Morrissey was shot dead in the line of duty while responding to a robbery at the labour exchange in Ardee on 27 June 1985. He was 49 years old and married with four children. In 1986, he was posthumously awarded the Scott Gold Medal for bravery. In a statement released to mark the 40th anniversary of his death, his family said Sergeant Morrissey will never be forgotten. "We knew him as a giant of kindness and strength and someone who belonged strongly in fairness and in giving people chances to rectify their lives," his family said. "He believed strongly in the power of humanity and common decency." The statement said Sergeant Morrissey's former colleagues in the Garda Sub Aqua Unit and in Collon garda station and the other stations where he was posted alongside those in the Garda Choir "have paid many hearts felt tributes throughout the years since 1985 - they most certainly have never forgotten him, nor us as a family". A remembrance ceremony was recently held in Collon while a specially crafted bench in memory of the late garda sergeant was also unveiled. An anniversary mass will be held in his home town of Belturbet, Co Cavan, tomorrow and will be attended by his widow, Bernie, and their children Martin, Brian, Mary and Aideen. Victim and survivor support group SEFF has sewn quilts made up of different panels illustrating the memories of families of victims of terrorism across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain. The group has said the panel on the quilt dedicated to Sergeant Morrissey aims to remember him as a hero but also who he was outside of his job. The panel depicts the late garda as a diver wearing fins in the water and surrounded by musical notes to illustrate his interests in life. In a statement, SEFF Director Kenny Donaldson said forty years ago Sergeant Morrissey was "stolen away from his family by subversives", adding that "the murder of PJ shocked and appalled many people". "Despite what they have been subjected to, the Morrissey family have sought to live their lives in a manner bringing honour to his memory. They represent the values of fairness, respect and commitment to service which PJ's life reflected," he added. Some of the quilts that the group has created will be exhibited at Belturbet Heritage Railway Museum on Saturday evening following the mass in memory of Sergeant Morrissey.
Sunday World
24-06-2025
- Sunday World
Irishman appears in court after cocaine worth €110M seized off Portugal coast
LATEST | Three men were arrested in connection with the drug haul The cocaine seized by the Policia Judiciaria The man is among three people held after Portuguese police and military personnel intercepted a yacht with more than 1.5 tonnes of cocaine on board off the Azores. Two Danish men were also arrested after 1,660 kilos of the class-A drug with a potential street value of around €110M was discovered on the 11-metre vessel. On Monday, the Public Prosecutors Office announced that the men, aged between 43 and 51, were placed in protective custody as there was a risk that they, would flee, disrupt the investigation, and continue engaging in criminal activity. The cocaine seized by the Policia Judiciaria News in 90 Seconds - June 24th The criminal investigating judge told the Ponta Delgada Court that the measure was justified. In a statement, the Regional Attorney General's Office of Évora has said that the three detainees, "with a history linked to drug trafficking", are charged with aggravated international drug trafficking and criminal association. All three men were remanded at Sao Miguel Prison in the Azores capital Ponta Delgada, following their first court appearance on Friday. Portuguese police confirmed that their Spanish counterparts had held the suspected leader of the criminal gang in a 'parallel' operation thought to have taken place on the Costa del Sol. A taser gun and €63,000 in cash were seized following the arrest. The man's nationality has not been officially revealed but he is believed to be Danish. The operation that led to the high-seas cocaine bust was codenamed Operation Vikings. A spokesman for Portugal's Policia Judiciaria police force described the three men held off the Azores in an official statement as 'foreigners' but a well-placed source confirmed that they included an Irish national. The PJ also said Irish authorities had assisted them. In the lengthy statement, the Portuguese police force said: 'With the support of the Portuguese Navy, we launched an operation to combat international drug trafficking by sea. 'A sailing boat around 11 metres long was intercepted off the western group of the Azores archipelago as it crossed the Atlantic Ocean between South America and Europe with around 1,660 kg of cocaine on board. 'Operation Vikings is the result of a complex investigation that has taken place over the last two years, aimed at dismantling an international criminal organisation with transcontinental operations specialising in bringing large quantities of cocaine to the European continent and using our country as a platform to this end. 'Due to poor safety and seaworthiness conditions the three crew members of the sailboat, who have since been arrested by the PJ, were taken along with the narcotics to a ship belonging to the Portuguese Navy which deployed a wide range of resources involving more than 50 military personnel. The PJ added in its statement: 'Given the complexity of the operation, the Portuguese Air Force, the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC-N), the Ponta Delgada Maritime Police and the Ponta Delgada Port Authority all took part in the investigation. 'Likewise, given the nationality of the suspects and the geographical dispersion of their activities, the assistance provided by foreign counterparts in the context of international police co-operation, in particular the Spanish National Police, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Danish National Special Crimes Unit (NSK Danish Police) and the French and Irish authorities, was also relevant. "The three detainees on the intercepted and seized vessel, foreigners aged between 43 and 51, have appeared in court in Ponta Delgada Court for initial questioning and been remanded in custody. Read more 'As part of a parallel investigation in Spain targeting the same criminal organization, the Spanish National Police through its elite organised crime-fighting Greco Costa del Sol unit and acting in conjunction with Portuguese police, arrested a man believed to be the leader of the organisation. 'Officers seized €63,000 in cash, a GPS device, a taser gun, numerous pieces of computer and communications equipment, some of which was encrypted, as well as an unspecified amount of foreign currency from his home.' None of the four suspects held on the boat and during the mainland Spain raid have been named.
