Nine gardaí awarded prestigious Scott medals for bravery

Garda Nigel Murphy from Emo with his silver Scott Medal for bravery. Picture: An Garda Síochána

Nine Garda officers have been awarded the prestigious Scott Medal for bravery at a ceremony in Dublin.

The Scott Medal is the highest award that can be bestowed by the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána and is awarded for "most exceptional bravery and heroism involving the risk of life in the execution of duty".

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly awarded two gold medals at a ceremony on Friday, awarded posthumously to Sergeant Thomas Griffin and Garda John Alphonsus Murrin.

In May 1924, in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary, both gardaí responded to a shooting incident.

They were searching for an individual who was in possession of a gun and who had shot at one of their colleagues.

Sergeant Griffin and Garda Murrin, who were both unarmed, approached the suspect’s house, despite the potential danger. Upon arrival at the house, and without warning, an individual opened fire on Sergeant Griffin and Garda Murrin.

Both men would die from their injuries within two weeks of the incident.

Silver medals

Two of the four silver Scott Medals arose from a 2023 incident where two gardaí saved a woman from a burning building.

Garda Nigel Murphy from Emo with his silver Scott Medal for bravery. Picture: An Garda Síochána

In the early hours of September 9, Garda Nigel Murphy and Garda Conor Treacy were dispatched to attend a report of a shooting at a house in the West Dublin area. 

On the way to the scene, they were advised the house was on fire and there may still be someone inside.

Both gardaí arrived at the scene and were told a woman was trapped upstairs inside the house.

Garda Murphy attempted to enter through the front door of the house with other members, but was unsuccessful.

Both men proceeded to the neighbour’s house with their colleagues and to the back garden. 

Garda Treacy jumped the fence and noticed the upstairs window open while Mr Murphy, along with another gardaí, lifted the fence to access the garden and a ladder was located in the back garden.

Garda Treacy went up the ladder and entered the house through the first floor window, immediately followed by Garda Murphy.

Garda Treacy located the woman who was unresponsive on the bed in the smoke filled room and assisted by Garda Murphy, they carried her to the window where they successfully handed her to the safety of the other gardaí outside the house.

The woman was conveyed to hospital for treatment to her injuries, from which she recovered.

Terrorist gang

Another silver medal was given to Detective Gregory Sheehan.

In October 1987, his colleague John O'Grady's home was entered by the former INLA terrorist Dessie O’Hare and members of his gang. 

The following morning, Mr O’Grady was kidnapped from his home by the gang and held hostage for 23 days.

On November 5, 1987, Det Sheehan responded to a call where a member of An Garda Síochána required urgent assistance in the Cabra area of Dublin.

On arrival at the scene, and as he got out of his car, several armed men appeared from the rear of a van, armed with long-barrelled firearms. They were in the process of taking John O’Grady from a house and transferring him to the van.

Det Sheehan observed one of the armed men move to the front of the van and point a rifle at a person outside a house, who he later realised was another Garda member in Martin O’Connor.

The armed men pointed the rifle in the direction of Det Sheehan and fired several shots in his direction.

Det Sheehan drew his revolver and fired six times in the direction of the armed men before taking cover to reload his revolver. 

He then approached the van and discovered Detective O’Connor on the ground having been shot.

The actions of Mr Sheehan in returning fire on the armed men created an opportunity for John O’Grady to escape from his captors and be rescued.

Meanwhile, two bronze Scott Medals were awarded for another firearm incident in Dublin in 2022.

In March that year, a man carrying a double barrel shotgun attempted to hijack a taxi parked on Mill Street, Dublin 8. 

Garda John Yeates and Garda Jamie Caffrey responded to the call, where on arrival they observed the gunman and the taxi driver on the ground wrestling for control of a shotgun.

When the gunman saw the gardaí approach, he stood up, taking the shotgun and a sports bag and attempted to flee

Garda Caffrey and Garda Yeates pursued the gunman to apprehend him and ensured that he could not harm someone else.