Gardai arrive on horseback as centenary of station marked in Limerick village

THE CENTENARY of the opening of a garda station at Kilmeedy was celebrated in the west Limerick village.

Mounted gardai joined the community near Newcastle West, where 50 officers who were placed in Kilmeedy proudly served from the station’s opening in 1925 to its closure in 2012.

It was historian, former garda and researcher George Daly, who did the investigations.

PICTURES: County Limerick village holds event to honour members of An Garda Síochána

He helped track down the families of many of the officers who served in the community over the years.

And it was left to the current chief superintendent Derek Smart to unveil three limestone plaques recognising the 50 gardai who served in Kilmeedy, in the form of a roll of honour.

These give the details of where the officers came from originally, and the years they served in Kilmeedy.

A wreath was laid in memory of those deceased.

“We just felt it would be nice to know the names of all the gardai who served here down through the years,” explained Mr Daly.

Centenary medals were presented to families of officers who have since passed away.

While Kilmeedy garda station closed in 2012 as part of a round of austerity-related cuts, it lives on thanks to the efforts of the local community.

Now one half of it is home to a creche and preschool, with the other side of it used for community development meetings, Tidy Towns gatherings and those on community enterprise programmes.

Friday’s commemorations featured a march through Kilmeedy to the old garda station, where the unveiling of the roll of honour took place.

One lone garda piper Leanne McCarthy was joined by members of the Newcastle West Pipe Band.

Members of the ceremonial garda unit arrived on horseback into the village.

Among the dignitaries were the Minister for Tourism and local TD Patrick O’Donovan.

He was joined by Minister of State at the Department of Justice, fellow County Limerick TD Niall Collins.

Independent Ireland deputy Richard O’Donoghue was also present.

Representing Limerick City and County Council was Cllr Dan McSweeney, the local authority’s priomh chomhairleoir.

Historian Dr Liam Irwin also lent his expertise to the occasion.