Nephew of acting Garda chief dies aged 39

THE nephew of the Acting Garda Commissioner died of a suspected heart attack while on duty at the weekend.

Tributes were last night paid to 39-year-old Garda Shane Cuffe, who died while on duty at Clifden Garda Station, in Co. Galway, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Mr Cuffe was a nephew of Acting Garda Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin.

Yesterday, Garda Cuffe was remembered in the Co. Galway town where he was stationed as an officer who always had a wave and a smile for members of the public.

The Irish Daily Mail understands that Garda Cuffe was on duty at the station over the Easter weekend when he started to feel unwell. His colleagues telephoned the emergency services but Garda Cuffe was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 39-year-old, who had been in the force for 13 years, had been stationed in Clifden for some time. His wife is understood to work as a dentist and had been at home in Derry for the weekend.

Garda Cuffe was a ‘well regarded’ member of the community, according to locals who knew him.

One local, who did not wish to be named, told the Mail: ‘Garda Cuffe was a lovely man and always someone who had a wave and a smile when you saw him driving around.

‘He had been stationed here for a few years, and in Mayo before that.

‘It’s a terrible tragedy to happen over Easter. Garda Cuffe is from a well-known family. It’s a terrible tragedy to hit the area.’

A spokesman for An Garda Síochána said: ‘A male garda in his late 30s became ill while on duty in Clifden Garda Station in the early hours of Sunday. Emergency Services were called and he was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

‘His body has been removed for a post mortem examination at University Hospital Galway. A file will be prepared for the coroner.’

Galway native Dónall Ó Cualáin became Acting Garda Commissioner following the announcement last September that Nóirín O’Sullivan was to retire.

It is understood that family and friends of Garda Cuffe were at his home last night, comforting Garda Cuffe’s widow.

The couple had recently become parents again and have a four-month-old child.