Garda-killer wasn’t one of us... he was a spy, says IRA faction
TERRORIST group Óglaigh na hÉireann has strenuously denied that garda- killer Adrian Crevan Mackin was affiliated with the IRA.
Members of the hardline republican faction described Crevan Mackin as a ‘ Walter Mitty-type character and very likely a police informer’.
The controversial comments, which come two days after fatherof-three Garda Tony Golden was shot dead, were made in a statement from the Republican Network for Unity.
Crevan Mackin shot himself dead on Sunday evening at his home in Omeath, Co. Meath, after first seriously wounding his girlfriend Siobhán Phillips and shooting dead garda Tony Golden.
Ms Phillips, the mother of Crevan Mackin’s two young children who are aged one and four, is fighting for her life at Beaumont Hospital after being shot in the head.
‘Attempting to infiltrate’
The statement on behalf of imprisoned terror suspects said that to describe Mackin as a ‘dissident republican’ was ‘totally inaccurate’.
The statement explains that when Mackin was jailed temporarily in January after being charged with IRA membership at the Special Criminal Court, republican prisoners refused to allow him entry to the E-Block of Portlaoise Prison, which houses so- called political prisoners.
The statement read: ‘Although he [Crevan Mackin] made several attempts to i nfiltrate several republican organisations prior to his arrest, his attempts failed.
‘He was affiliated with no republican organisations.
‘In January 2015 Adrian Mackin was charged at the Special Criminal Court with membership of the IRA and was subsequently transferred to Portlaoise Prison.
‘Upon his arrival at the prison, attempts were made by the prison authorities to house him in the republican E-Block. The republican prisoners there refused his entry after being i nformed by colleagues outside that he was not affiliated to any organisation and it was highly l i kely that he was attempting to infiltrate the prisoners in the block.
‘After being refused entry to EBlock, Mackin was placed by the prison authorities in the criminal A-Block.’
Prison sources confirmed Crevan Mackin was housed in the A-Block at the jail for nine days until he was bailed on January 27.
The Mail understands that Caroline Donohoe, widow of Garda Adrian Donohoe who was shot dead in 2013 just a few miles from where Garda Golden was murdered, visited his recently bereaved wife Nicola on Monday night.
The two women are known to each other and Mrs Donohoe had reached out to Mrs Golden, sources said yesterday.
The State f uneral of Garda Golden will take place tomorrow. His remains will repose privately at his home in Blackrock, Co. Louth, from 3pm to 7pm today before being removed to St Oliver Plunkett Church in Blackrock tomorrow for funeral Mass at noon.
Burial will follow at St Paul’s, Haynestown, Co. Louth.
His f uneral notice describes
‘A passion for public service’
Garda Golden as an ‘adored dad’ and a ‘dedicated member of An Garda Síochána’ who will be ‘forever missed’ by his wife, children, parents, siblings, relatives, friends and colleagues. His relatives have requested family flowers only, with any donations to be sent to the North Louth Hospice and Home- care Foundation in Dundalk. A minute’s silence was held in the Dáil yesterday in honour of Garda Golden and also the victims of the Carrickmines halting site fire.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny paid tribute to the garda, saying that his ‘passion for public service’ was cruelly taken from this life while he was carrying out his public duty.
Mr Kenny added: ‘He will be so sadly missed by his beloved family and especially by Nicola and their three beautiful children, to whom we extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathy, and to his heartbroken colleagues in An Garda Síochána and the community with whom he serviced so generously.’
A prayer service to remember the life of murdered Mr Golden was held at Dundalk Garda station yesterday.
It was attended by Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan.