SÍOCHÁIN The Official Magazine of the Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Association OUTGOING GENERAL SECRETARY PASCHAL FEENEY BIDS A FOND FAREWELL WINTERWinter 2019 2015 ISSNISSN 1649-58961649-5896 www.gardaretired.comwww.gardaretired.com SCAN QR CODE FOR MEMBERS’ AREA EDITORIAL COMMENT TAKING TIME TO REFLECT So comes the time for Paschal Feeney to write his last editorial for ‘Siochain’ magazine. Looking back on his appointment as General Secretary of the Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Association (GSRMA) and Editor of this fantastic magazine he wonders where the years have flown. am disappointed leaving my role that Garda pensions improved vastly, with messages dispatched on a daily I have not been fully restored to the levels of what basis. we describe as ‘normal pension levels’; and likewise I took it upon myself to ensure, where possible, disappointed that Garda officialdom use the General Data that the flow of communications would continue all Protection Regulation (GDPR) Act as an excuse not to year round, regardless of where in the world I was. I share information with me, as General Secretary so that, acknowledge all the thanks I have received from hundreds in turn, I can inform you the members and readers of of members throughout the country in that regard. where we stand, as regards members of the force retiring. As I retire as General Secretary I am delighted to On the other hand I am hugely proud to have been announce that we are launching our GSRMA App, which given the opportunity to serve as your General Secretary will improve the speed at which you receive the message and reflect on what has been achieved during my tenure. from GSRMA House. This is how the world has unfolded Membership has increased from approximately 4,500 to and we expect our messages to be up to date and almost almost 6,000; a fantastic achievement given the number instant. of deaths among our fold. I have introduced the revamped Tax Advisory Service, NEW GENERAL SECRETARY which is now nationwide, and furthermore I have I am delighted to congratulate Michael Lernihan as introduced the Social Welfare Advisory Service, which is your new General Secretary designate. Michael shall without doubt the most sought-after service the GSRMA be steering the ship from the New Year, and I have no has at present, and it is now available nationwide; my doubt that he shall have lots of new initiatives to bring sincere thanks to both Mary Farrell and Kevin Kelly in that to you, which will benefit you the members of the Garda regard. Síochana Retired Members’ Association. I was instrumental in the establishment of the Alliance I wish to thank most sincerely all the members of the of Retired Public Servants, a group which has made huge Association who have assisted me in my role as General inroads into the partial restoration of our pensions; a case Secretary. The job is hugely demanding, but likewise of a lot done but more to do. hugely rewarding. I thank all the Central Committees I I introduced the GSRMA Summer and Christmas Draws have worked with, and likewise each and every Branch for members, and also the quarterly draw on our website Secretary. www.gardaretired.com. In conjunction with Halligan This Association is all about the members on the Insurers I steered the introduction of the GSRMA Accident ground. To each and every member effected by austerity Policy, which covers members up to their 85th year – all of and who have fallen on difficult times, I wish you the very these initiatives and more form part of your membership best for the future. Don’t despair. Don’t give up. Keep in fee to GSRMA. touch with your Association, and if I can still assist do not hesitate to call on me. IMPROVED LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION Finally I wish you all, be that on the Management In 2021 the GSRMA will celebrate its 60th Anniversary. Board, Branch Committees or simply a card-carrying During those 60 years the Association has gone from member of GSRMA a very Happy Christmas and above all strength to strength. Our communications system has a healthy New Year. Slán. Síocháin 1 SÍOCHÁIN CONTENTS The Official Magazine of the Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Association OUTGOING GENERAL SECRETARY The Official Magazine of the Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Association PASCHAL FEENEY BIDS A FOND FAREWELL WINTERWinter 2019 2015 ISSNISSN 1649-58961649-5896 www.gardaretired.com SCAN QR CODE FOR MEMBERS’ AREA Winter 2019 Volume 48 • Issue 4 • ISSN 1649-5896 5 CHRISTMAS GREETINGS meeting in Dublin in 1918 to voice 95 POLICING PROPOSALS * President of Ireland Michael D. their objection to the proposed Michael Dalton, Offaly Branch, Higgins Conscription measures, writes who served 36 years as a member * GSRMA President Matt Givens Donal J. O’Sullivan, Tralee Branch. of An Garda Síochána, claims that * Garda Commissioner Drew Harris the Commissioner’s new policing * Minister for Justice & Equality proposals seem very much in line Charles Flanagan TD with the English model, following * Garda Chaplain Fr Joe Kennedy his recent visit to a small town in * Garda Chaplain Rev. David North Yorkshire, and says this will Pierpoint not have any advantages for An Garda Síochána. 17 ALLIANCE REPORT Over 120 GSRMA members 99 OVERSEAS VOLUNTEERS attended the protest meeting Martina O’Neill, Dublin North Branch, shares fond memories organised by the National 79 OVERVIEW OF THE LAW of four weeks she spent last Federation of Pensioners and the An overview of the law relating summer with her husband Ben Alliance of Retired Public Servants to the nuisance of over-hanging volunteering with the Vincentian outside the Dáil on 1 October. branches from a neighbour’s Lay Missionaries, in Atse School in trees into one’s property, the Kechene, a poor area on the edge encroachment of roots, and the of the city of Addis Ababa. issue of leaves and fallen fruit, is provided here by legal expert Kevin Bowen, Clonmel Branch. 83 AGEISM VS EXPERIENCE John O’Brien, Central Committee 23 ASSOCIATION NEWS Member, questions the Garda Commissioner’s recommendations to restructure the force, and says IN-HOUSE REPORT 57 there are enormous strains at local level, with under-manning and 61 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR a great confusion as to what the future holds. 103 THE WAY WE WERE 67 GSRMA SOCIAL OUTINGS Pat Lehane looks back over the 87 CHRISTMAS MEMORIES ways of life and changing times There’s something about this in rural Ireland from the early 73 POLICING IN IRELAND time of year that evokes nostalgic 1900s—an era when there was The question of union membership memories for Tony Ruane of his no electricity, running water, was first discussed by DMP and RIC childhood, such as the Arctic Winter bathrooms, toilets and very few members and prison officers at a of the ‘Big Snow’ in 1946-47. phones. 2 Síocháin CONTENTS 109 DOES HISTORY REPEAT? from the World Transplant Games P.J. McCarthy, North Dublin Branch, this summer in Newcastle, England. whose article in Summer 2011 issue GSRMA EDITORIAL touched on welfare implications of BOARD 117 BASKETBALL TEAM the mass exodus from the force, Pascal Feeney says the intervening years for the (Editor & General Secretary) Gardaí have been very turbulent. 118 OBITUARY NOTICES 112 MEETING THE POPE John T. Farrelly, Dublin North 128 ARCHIVE SNAPSHOTS Branch, who worked in Cyprus in 2010 as Senior Police Adviser in charge of policing the Buffer Zone, 132 CROSSWORD had the opportunity to personally Billy Saunderson meet Pope Benedict that year. 135 POETRY CORNER 136 IN THE FRAME 139 BULLETIN BOARD John O’Brien 114 WORLD TRANSPLANT 142 MEMBERSHIP FORM GAMES 2019 Thomas Flannery (Monaghan Branch) and Tony Gavigan (Navan 143 MEMORABILIA PAGE Branch) were members of the Transplant Team Ireland who brought home haul of 50 medals 144 NOTICEBOARD Michael Coleman SÍOCHÁIN is published by Ocean Publishing, 14 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-6785165; Email: [email protected] Website: www.oceanpublishing.ie Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Managing Director: Patrick Aylward Association, In-House Editor: Grace Heneghan GSRMA House, In-House Designer: Catherine Doyle 5 Harrington Street, Dublin 8. PRESS CONCIL OF IRELAND Tel: 01-4781525 SIOCHAIN is a full participating member of the Press Council of Ireland and supports the office of the Press Ombandsman. In addition to defending the freedom of the press, the scheme offers readers a quick, fair and free Fax: 01-4785127 method of dealing with complaints that they may have in relation to articles that appear on our pages. To contact Email: [email protected] the office of the Press Ombudsman visit www.pressombudsman.ie or www.presscouncil.ie or LoCall 1890 208 080. Website: www.gardaretired.com The views expressed in SIOCHAIN, unless expressly stated, do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor, the Editorial Board, the GSRMA, Ocean Publishing, the Garda Commissioner or An Garda Síochána. Opinions expressed YOU CAN ALSO by the authors and services offered by advertisers are not specifically endorsed by the GSRMA. All rights reserved. No part of SIOCHAIN may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission FOLLOW US ON from the Editorial Board and the Publisher. Copyright © 2019 Ocean Publishing Facebook www.facebook.com/GardaRetired Twitter www.twitter.com/GardaRetired Síocháin 3 CHRISTMAS MESSAGES PRESIDENT OF IRELAND IS THANKFUL FOR PROFOUND GARDA CONTRIBUTION I would like to send my best wishes for Christmas to the members of the Garda Síochána Retired Members Association. The Christmas season is, for many, a time of joy and wonder as families and friends come together in a spirit of celebration and shared memories.