Patrick Joseph Morrissey: Difference between revisions

Patrick Joseph Morrissey
Patrick Joseph Morrissey
Born	7 March 1936; Belturbet, County Cavan, Ireland
Died	27 June 1985 (aged 49); Tallanstown, County Louth, Ireland
Spouse	Bernadette (?–1985; his death)
Children	4
	Police career
Department	Garda Síochána
Service years	1960–1985 (24 years)
Rank	Sergeant
Badge no.	14545K

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Sergeant Patrick Joseph Morrissey (7 March 1936 – 27 June 1985) was a member of the Garda Síochána, the national police service of Ireland, killed by the INLA.^[1] His murder resulted in the last death sentences issued by an Irish court, 30 years after the last death sentence executed in Ireland.

Personal life

He was a native of Belturbet, County Cavan. He served in the Irish Army from 1953 to 1960. He lived in Drogheda with his wife Bernadette and their four children: Martin, Brian, Mary and Aideen.

Career

Morrissey joined the Garda Síochána on 14 December 1960 and was promoted to sergeant on 24th October 1974. He was stationed at Collon, County Louth, for a number of years before his death. He also served at Tramore, Drogheda, Dundrum, Stepaside, Fitzgibbon Street, Whitehall, the Bridewell and at Garda Headquarters. An experienced diver and lifeguard, he played a major role in the development of the Garda Sub-Aqua Unit.^[2]

Robbery and shooting

He was shot dead while in pursuit of two INLA members - Michael McHugh from Crossmaglen and Noel Callan from Cullaville County Armagh - who had robbed the Labour Exchange in Ardee and stolen £25,000 in cash. Sgt. Morrissey was at Ardee courthouse for a sitting of the local court when he found out about the raid at the employment exchange in Ardee. He joined two Ardee-based Gardaí in their patrol car who were shot at by the robbers. Near Tallanstown the robbers, who had switched from a car to a motorcycle, collided with an approaching car injuring its occupants. Two of the Gardaí stayed with the injured persons while Sergeant Morrissey, alone and on foot, pursued the raiders. As he caught up with them, a shot was fired and he fell to the ground grievously wounded. One of the gunmen stood over him and at point-blank range shot the Sergeant dead.^[2] RTÉ Security Correspondent at the time, Tom McCaughren, described it as "an execution".

Awards

Sergeant Morrissey was posthumously awarded the Scott Gold Medal on 4 December 1986.^[2] He was awarded the posthumous Freedom of Drogheda in 2013.^[3]

References

^ "Sgt Morrissey gunned down after robbery in Ardee in 1985". The Argus. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Patrick J. Morrissey". An Garda Síochána. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
^ "Drogheda freedom for slain Garda Morrissey". Drogheda Independent. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2015.

External links

[1] "Sgt Morrissey gunned down after robbery in Ardee in 1985". The Argus. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2015.

[garda-2] "Patrick J. Morrissey". An Garda Síochána. Retrieved 7 January 2015.

[3] "Drogheda freedom for slain Garda Morrissey". Drogheda Independent. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2015.

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Murdered Irish police officer}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
+{{Use Irish English|date=February 2024}}
 {{Infobox police officer
-|name         =Patrick J. Morrissey
+|name         =Patrick Joseph Morrissey
 |image=
 |birth_date   = 7 March 1936
-|death_date   = 27 June 1985 (aged 49)
+|death_date   = {{death date and given age|1985|df=yes|6|27|49}}
 |birth_place  = [[Belturbet]], [[County Cavan]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
 |death_place  = [[Tallanstown]], [[County Louth]], Ireland
+| children = 4
+| spouse = Bernadette (?&ndash;1985; his death)
 |department   = [[Garda Síochána]]
 |rank         = [[Sergeant]]
@@ Line 11: / Line 16: @@
 |serviceyears = 1960–1985 (24 years)
 }}
-Sergeant '''Patrick Joseph Morrissey''' (7 March 1936 – 27 June 1985) was a member of the [[Garda Síochána]],  the national police service of [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], killed in the line of duty by the [[INLA]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/regionals/argus/news/sgt-morrissey-gunned-down-after-robbery-in-ardee-in-1985-29027153.html|title= Sgt Morrissey gunned down after robbery in Ardee in 1985|date=30 January 2013|work=The Argus|accessdate=7 January 2015}}</ref>
+Sergeant '''Patrick Joseph Morrissey''' (7 March 1936 – 27 June 1985) was a member of the [[Garda Síochána]],  the national police service of [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], killed by the [[Irish National Liberation Army|INLA]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/regionals/argus/news/sgt-morrissey-gunned-down-after-robbery-in-ardee-in-1985-29027153.html|title= Sgt Morrissey gunned down after robbery in Ardee in 1985|date=30 January 2013|work=The Argus|accessdate=7 January 2015}}</ref> His murder resulted in the last death sentences issued by an Irish court, 30 years after [[Michael Manning (murderer)|the last death sentence executed]] in Ireland.
 ==Personal life==
 He was a native of [[Belturbet]], [[County Cavan]]. He served in the [[Irish Army]] from 1953 to 1960. He lived in [[Drogheda]] with his wife Bernadette and their four children: Martin, Brian, Mary and Aideen.
 ==Career==
+Morrissey joined the Garda Síochána on 14 December 1960 and was promoted to [[sergeant]] on 24th October 1974. He was stationed at [[Collon]], [[County Louth]], for a number of years before his death. He also served at [[Tramore]], [[Drogheda]], [[Dundrum, Dublin|Dundrum]], [[Stepaside, Dublin|Stepaside]], Fitzgibbon Street, Whitehall, the Bridewell and at Garda Headquarters. An experienced diver and lifeguard, he played a major role in the development of the [[Garda Water Unit|Garda Sub-Aqua Unit]].<ref name=garda>{{cite web|url=http://www.garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=5277&Lang=1|title= Patrick J. Morrissey|work=An Garda Síochána|accessdate=7 January 2015}}</ref>
+==Robbery and shooting==
-He joined the Garda Síochána on 14 December 1960 and was promoted to [[Sergeant]] on 24 October 1974. He was stationed at [[Collon]] [[County Louth]] for a number of years before his death. He also served at he also served at [[Tramore]], [[Drogheda]], [[Dundrum, Dublin|Dundrum]], Stepaside, Fitzgibbon Street, Whitehall, Bridewell and H.Q. An experienced diver and life saver he played a major role in the development of the [[Garda Water Unit|Garda Sub-Aqua Unit]].<ref name=garda>{{cite web|url=http://www.garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=5277&Lang=1|title= Patrick J. Morrissey|work=An Garda Síochána|accessdate=7 January 2015}}</ref>
+He was shot dead while in pursuit of two INLA members - Michael McHugh from [[Crossmaglen]] and Noel Callan from Cullaville [[County Armagh]] - who had robbed the Labour Exchange in Ardee and stolen £25,000 in cash. Sgt. Morrissey was at Ardee courthouse for a sitting of the local court when he found out about the raid at the employment exchange in Ardee. He joined two Ardee-based Gardaí in their patrol car who were shot at by the robbers. Near [[Tallanstown]] the robbers, who had switched from a car to a motorcycle, collided with an approaching car injuring its occupants. Two of the Gardaí stayed with the injured persons while Sergeant Morrissey, alone and on foot, pursued the raiders. As he caught up with them, a shot was fired and he fell to the ground grievously wounded. One of the gunmen stood over him and at point-blank range shot the Sergeant dead.<ref name=garda /> [[RTÉ]] Security Correspondent at the time, Tom McCaughren, described it as "an execution".
-==Robbery and Shooting==
-He was shot dead while in pursuit of two [[INLA]] members - Michael McHugh from [[Crossmaglen]] and Noel Callan from Cullaville [[County Monaghan]] - who had robbed the Labour Exchange in Ardee and stolen £25,000 in cash. Sgt. Morrissey was at Ardee courthouse for a sitting of the local court when he was found out about the raid at the employment exchange in Ardee. He joined two Ardee based Gardaí in their patrol car who were shot at by the robbers. Near [[Tallanstown]] the robbers,who had switched from a car to a motorcycle, collided with an approaching car injuring its occupants. Two of the Gardaí stayed with the injured persons while Sergeant Morrissey, alone and on foot, pursued the raiders. As he caught up with them a shot was fired and he fell to the ground grievously wounded.  One of the gunmen stood over him and at point blank range shot the Sergeant dead.<ref name=garda /> [[RTÉ]] Security Correspondent at the time, Tom McCaughren, described it as "an execution".
 ==Awards==
+Sergeant Morrissey was posthumously awarded the [[Scott Medal|Scott Gold Medal]] on 4 December 1986.<ref name=garda /> He was awarded the posthumous Freedom of Drogheda in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/news/drogheda-freedom-for-slain-garda-morrissey-29097677.html|title= Drogheda freedom for slain Garda Morrissey|date=27 February 2013|work=Drogheda Independent|accessdate=7 January 2015}}</ref>
-Sergeant Morrissey was posthumously awarded the [[Scott Medal|Scott Gold Medal]] on 4 December 1986.<ref name=garda />
-He was awarded the posthumous Freedom of Drogheda in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/news/drogheda-freedom-for-slain-garda-morrissey-29097677.html|title= Drogheda freedom for slain Garda Morrissey|date=27 February 2013|work=Drogheda Independent|accessdate=7 January 2015}}</ref>
 ==See also==
 * [[List of Irish police officers killed in the line of duty]]
+*''[[Garda ar Lár]]''
 * [[Seamus Quaid]]
 * [[Michael Clerkin]]
 * [[Frank Hand]]
 * [[Samuel Donegan]]
-* [[Gary Sheehan]]
+* [[Gary Sheehan (police officer)|Gary Sheehan]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 43: / Line 44: @@
 ==External links==
 * http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/sutton/chron/1985.html
-* http://www.policehistory.utvinternet.com/honour.html
+* https://web.archive.org/web/20140627081200/http://www.policehistory.utvinternet.com/honour.html
-* [[Garda ar Lár]]
 * http://www.thejournal.ie/noel-callan-998464-Jul2013/
 * http://www.irishtimes.com/premium/loginpage?destination=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/treatment-of-man-who-murdered-garda-unfair-court-told-1.1426428
 {{INLA/IRSP}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Morrissey, Patrick Joseph}}
-[[Category:People from County Cavan]]
 [[Category:1936 births]]
 [[Category:1985 deaths]]
 [[Category:History of County Louth]]
-[[Category:Irish murder victims]]
+[[Category:Garda Síochána officers killed in the line of duty]]
-[[Category:Garda Síochána officers]]
+[[Category:People from Belturbet]]
 [[Category:People killed by the Irish National Liberation Army]]
-[[Category:Murdered Irish police officers]]
+[[Category:1985 murders in the Republic of Ireland]]
-[[Category:Irish police officers killed in the line of duty]]
+[[Category:Murder victims from County Cavan]]
-[[Category:Terrorism deaths in Ireland]]
+[[Category:Police officers from County Cavan]]
-[[Category:People murdered in Ireland]]
-{{Ireland-law-bio-stub}}

v t e INLA and the IRSP
General	The Troubles Official Sinn Féin Official IRA Irish Republican Socialist Movement The Starry Plough Marxism–Leninism Blanket protest Dirty protest HM Prison Maze Anti H-Block 1981 Irish hunger strike July 1997 riots Northern Ireland peace process Good Friday Agreement Organized crime INLA Belfast Brigade
Attacks	Central Bar bombing Assassination of Airey Neave 1982 Divis Flats bombing Droppin Well bombing Darkley killings (denied) 1994 Shankill Road killings Newtownhamilton bombing
Personalities	Jimmy Brown Ronnie Bunting Patrick Campbell Seamus Costello Miriam Daly Mickey Devine Bernadette Devlin Gino Gallagher Raymond Gilmour Tony Gregory Dessie Grew Seamus Grew Stephen King Harry Kirkpatrick Kevin Lynch Dominic McGlinchey Christopher "Crip" McWilliams Colm Murphy Patsy O'Hara Dessie O'Hare Martin "Rook" O'Prey Michael Plunkett Thomas "Ta" Power Mary Reid Gerard Steenson Hugh Torney Sammy Ward Johnnie White
Associates	Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America
Derivatives	Independent Socialist Party Irish People's Liberation Organisation Republican Socialist Collective
Prominent killings	Billy McMillen Henry Byrne John Morley William McCullough John McKeague Patrick Joseph Morrissey Trevor King Billy Wright