Paul Murphy
Today (Friday) marks the 40th anniversary of the murder of Sergeant Paddy Morrissey (49), a member of An Garda Siochana who had been stationed at Collon Garda Station. The sergeant was shot dead while pursuing two INLA members who had robbed the Labour Exchange in Ardee and stole £25,000 in cash. The sergeant was attending Ardee Court that morning when he heard about the raid. Two other Gardai joined him in the patrol car and they were shot at by the robbers. The robbers switched from a car to a motorcycle near Tallanstown but they collided with an oncoming car injuring its occupants.
Two Gardai stayed with the injured and Sergeant Morrissey, alone and on foot, pursued the robbers into the grounds of Rathbrist House. A shot was fired at him and he fell. However, one of the raiders returned and shot the sergeant at point blank range. The days after his death brought an outpouring of grief, anger and frustration. The Taoiseach in June 1985 Garret Fitzgerald visited Sergeant Morrissey’s widow Bernadette and her family at the home of a relative in Drogheda. Clearly moved by their courage the Taoiseach said that the Morrisseys were an outstanding family “and it is wonderful to see how they are facing up to this
tragedy”.
At the scene of the shooting then Superintendent John Moore said he had known the late Sergeant Morrissey very well from the time he had come out as a recruit. Asked what type of man he was he replied “he was very determined, very brave, very conscientious young man at that time when I met him first”. He described the shooting as “horrendous”. Shock and upset was expressed by the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors and by Jack Marrinan of the Garda Representative Association.
Sergeant Morrissey was one of the founders of the Garda Sub Aqua Unit. Hundreds of people turned out for the removal of his remains from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital to St Mary’s Church in Drogheda. Many more watched as the funeral Mass took place in St Mary’s and people of the town stood silently on the pavements as the funeral cortege made its way for the burial in Co
Cavan, the sergeant’s native county.
In 2013, the then Mayor of Drogheda Cllr Paul Bell presented a posthumous Freedom of Drogheda to Sergeant Morrissey in a ceremony in the Tholsel attended by councillors, Paddy’s family and friends. Michael McHugh, Crossmaglen and Noel Callan, Cullaville, Castleblayney were convicted by the Special Criminal Court in December 1985 of the murder of Sergeant Morrissey.
The front page of The Drogheda Independent back in July 1985 covered by Paul Murphy at the time.
