Fermoy garda inspires Jerry McCabe memorial
“IT IS RIGHT AND FITTING THAT JERRY MCCABE BE REMEMBERED IN THE VILLAGE HE LOVED SO MUCH”
ON the morning of June 7, 1996 the entire country was left in stunned shock and disgust following the brutal killing of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe at Adare, Co Limerick.
Two decades after his murder a Fermoy based member of An Garda Siochána and his father are behind an initiative to ensure that Det Garda McCabe’s name will be forever remembered and cherished in his native village of Ballylongford.
Next Sunday at 2pm a memorial plaque erected to the memory of Det Garda McCabe will be unveiled on the house in the quiet Kerry village where he grew up.
The plaque is the brainchild of Garda Omar Fitzell, a member of the Garda traffic corps based in Fermoy and a native of Ballylongford, who together with his father Paddy decided that a permanent memorial should be erected to the slain Garda in his home village.
Speaking to the Corkman Garda Fitzell said the iconic image of hundreds of gardai following Det Garda McCabe’s funeral cortège is one that left a lasting impression on him.
“When I was young my father would point Jerry out to me when he visited Ballylongford. When I saw the picture of his funeral and the obvious respect in which he was held by his colleagues it inspired my interest in joining An Garda Siochána,” said Garda Fitzell.
He said that given the fact that monuments to two other well-known Ballylongford natives, patriot The O’Rahilly and poet and novelist Brendan Kennelly had been erected in the village, it was fitting that Det Garda McCabe was afforded the same honour.
“During my 11-years as a garda I have attended two state funerals of colleagues, so I am acutely aware of the sacrifice that gardai who die in the line of duty have made and how important it is that they are remembered,” said Garda Fitzell.
With this in mind, Garda Fitzell approached the Garda Representative Association (GRA) with his idea and they agreed to pay for the plaque, which was fashioned by Paddy Fitzell.
He also sought permission from the current owners of the house who gave their permission for the plaque to be erected.
Sunday’s unveiling ceremony will commence with a march led by a Garda ceremonial unit from the local car-park to the house on Bridge St.
Det Garda McCabe’s widow Anne described the event as “a wonderful gesture by the GRA” in memory of her late husband. She and their children, two of whom are serving gardai in Cork and Shannon, will attended the ceremony along with serving gardai from across the ranks and retired members of the force.
“Despite the fact that Jerry lived and served in Limerick, he always regarded Ballylongford as home so it is only right and fitting that his name be remembered for eternity in the village he loved so much,” said Garda Fitzell.