Putin honour recalls day Irishman sprang Soviet spy

MEMORIES of late Limerick man Seán Bourke were revived this week, as a notorious Cold War spy George Blake received one of Russia’s top honours.

President Vladimir Putin conferred the Order of Friendship on Mr Blake who spied for the Soviets when he served with the British Secret Service MI6.

Mr Blake made a dramatic escape to Russia with the help of Bourke. When he was exposed as a Russian spy in 1961, Mr Blake was jailed for 42 years— then the longest jail term ever imposed by a British court.