Proud Clonmel man honoured for central role he played in the rescue of Don Tidey from IRA gang

The late Detective Superintendent Bill Somers awarded a Scott Medal for bravery

A proud Clonmel man was posthumously honoured for his bravery and the central role he played in the 1983 rescue of businessman Don Tidey who was kidnapped by an IRA gang.

On an emotional day last Friday members of the Somers family attended an award ceremony to 15 gardaí for the bravery they showed in a shootout in the woodlands around Ballinamore in county Leitrim as they came under fire from the IRA gang that had held Don Tidey captive for 23 days.

John Somers proudly accepted the Scott Medal awarded to his father, the late Detective Superintendent Bill Somers, at the ceremony in Dublin Castle.

John recalled how he sat with his mother and other family members at home on that December day in 1983 not knowing if their father was dead or alive as they listened to news reports about the shootout in the woods and the rescue attempt.

“There was no mobile phones that time, we had heard reports from the scene on the news, it was a very long day, and we just did not know if Dad was dead or alive until he walked in the door at home,” said John, who was 14-years -old at the time.

John remembers his father allowing him and his younger brother Mark to put their fingers through the bullet holes in the protective vest he was wearing and in through a bullet hole in his shoe.

“Speaking to Don Tidey about what happened it is clear that they all had a near death experience. It was a miracle Dad survived that day,” said John.

He explained that his father and his two colleagues were the first to come across Don Tidey in the woods as he made a run for it.

“Dad put a gun to Don Tideys head and said identify yourself and Tidey replied ‘Do you not recognise my accent’ and then Dad used his radio to inform the security forces ‘I have the big fish’ and he called for support,” said John.

John said they were in a battlefield and Dad and his colleagues threw Tidey to the ditch as they took cover from gunfire between the IRA gang and the security forces.

Detective Superintendent Bill Somers grew up on William Street, went to the High School and played football for Commercials and was also very involved in Clonmel Rowing Club.

His father John was a well-known garda sergeant in Clonmel and his mother Mabel was a teacher in Rathkeevin National School.

Bill had one brother, Michael, who still lives in Clonmel, a sister Eva and two brothers Walter and Johnny who have passed away.

Bill passed away in 2010 and his wife Helen (née Marshall), who was from Queen Street, passed away earlier this year.

They had a family of two boys John and Mark and a daughter Isolde.

“Friday was a very emotional day, we were all so proud to be there. It was a proud day but it was tinged with great sadness as our mother passed away in March,” said John.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris addressed the recipients of the Scott Medal and said the “dedication to duty and bravery you demonstrated on December 16,1983, remains an example to all of us who continue to serve.”

Three of the Scott Medals were awarded posthumously as Garda Gary Sheehan (23) was shot dead during the operation and Private Patrick Kelly was also fatally wounded by IRA gunmen.

“As Dad said it was his job. That’s what you did. It does take its toll though and I think it did shorten his life,” said John.

Bill Somers, when he moved from Clonmel to Dublin, used the experience he picked up in Clonmel Rowing Club to go on and become a very successful coach to the Irish Mens 8’s and 4’s who went to the Olympics in Montreal in 1976 and he was also coach to many teams who would have enjoyed very successful days at Henley. “He was a very proud Clonmel man. The year before he passed away he attended a High School reunion in Clonmel and enjoyed meeting all his former school friends and catching up with them,” said John.