Senior garda calls time on 40-year career

WHEN the chronicles of major crime are written there will be one common thread — Tony Hickey.

The retiring Assistant Commissioner was involved in the investigations of many of the notorious crimes that left their mark on the public psyche the capture of notorious killer Malcolm MacArthur, the assassination of journalist Veronica Guerin and the continued battle against Dublin's crime lords.

Mr Hickey, who officially retires from the gardaí tomorrow, was also centrally involved in the investigation into the disappearance and death of Cork school boy Robert Holohan in January.

As the head of National Support Services, he had overall responsibility for the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, the Garda National Drugs Unit and the Technical Bureau.

This role allowed him to be at the centre of events. as he came to the end of his career According to those who know him, this is exactly where he wanted to be.

A native of Laharn, Killarney, Kerry, Tony Hickey is a 40-year veteran of the force after joining as a 20-year-old in 1965.

In 1976 he was awarded the Scott Medal for bravery after tackling two armed robbers following a raid on a post office.

Mr Hickey was one of three detectives, including the now Commissioner Noel Conroy, who arrested Malcolm MacArthur in the summer of 1982 at the Attorney General's house.

However, he came to public prominence when asked to take charge of the investigation in to the 1996 murder of Veronica Guerin.

He headed a dedicated team based at Lucan who were charged with smashing the Gilligan gang.

It took four years for John Gilligan himself to be brought back to Ireland to face trial for murder and the importation of drugs.

Two men, Brian Meehan and Paul Ward, were convicted of murder though Ward was subsequently cleared on appeal.

Gilligan was acquitted of murder but convicted on drugs offences and sentenced to 28 years in prison, reduced on appeal to 20.

Mr Hickey said of the acquittal: "We thought that we had a good enough case and that the evidence stood up. But we are professionals and we didn't take the verdict personally we always accept judicial decisions."

The retiring Assistant Commissioner, who retained the respect of members across the ranks during his long career, continued to be involved in targeting organised crime following the destruction of the Gilligan gang.

He was also in overall charge at Abbeylara, when John Carthy was shot dead following a siege that lasted for more than a day.