Guard of honour and applause as garda who 'left no stone unturned' is laid to rest

Family members and mourners follow the hearse carrying Garda Kevin Flatley, as it arrives at St Peter and Paul's Church, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, for his funeral service. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

The little girl blessed herself and turned to her mum as the hearse approached.

“Is that the girl’s dad?” she asked.

“Yes, it is, the poor garda,” her mum replied.

The limousine carrying 49-year-old Garda Kevin Flatley’s parents, his wife, and his two daughters, including nine-year-old Aoife, followed slowly behind the hearse.

The girl blessed herself multiple times and held her hands together in prayer.

“Why did he die, mum?” she asked.

But there was no reply.

A few moments earlier the garda’s family — his wife Úna, his eldest daughter Erin, aged 14 and youngest, Aoife— had stepped out of McNally’s Funeral Home, on the main street in Balbriggan in north county Dublin.

Erin pulled on her mother, trying to get her into the limousine.

Her and Aoife’s father had died last Sunday afternoon as he worked — performing a speed check on a 80km zone on a north Dublin road.

The traffic garda, a member of the Dublin Regional Road Policing Unit, was struck by a motorbike. 

The driver is still in critical condition in hospital.

Before the family left the funeral home, residents, shop owners, and employees had already stopped whatever they were doing and stood along the footpath to show their respects and support.

Many had seen and heard the approaching Garda procession — about 200 strong — marching in formation down the road from nearby Bremore Castle car park.

Gardaí had been bussed there in hired coaches from Gormanston Army Camp, about a 10-minute drive away, to be paraded and organised.

The remains of Garda Kevin Flatley at St Peter and Paul's Church, Balbriggan, Dublin. Picture: Colin Keegan

Some gardaí stepped off buses in freshly-pressed dress uniforms, while most members wore the standard uniform, zipped jacket, and the new baseball-type soft cap.

In Bremore, parade sergeants broke up the gardaí into four groups. 

Care was placed on ensuring their uniforms were tidy and that no items — including water bottles — were in pockets.

Directions were calm and assured.

A smaller number of detectives clustered in smart suits.

Passing children looked on and questioned their mothers as to what was going on. 

A number of girls in O’Dwyers GAA gear — the club where Garda Flatley volunteered as a coach — passed, heading for the church, farther down the road.

At 12.30pm, a single Garda drummer started the march, passing St Molaga’s National School where the flag flew at half-mast, coming to a halt just 200m down the road outside Balbriggan Garda Station.

There, the senior management team, led by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, were waiting.

Members of the public and gardai watch the funeral service of Garda Kevin Flatley on a screen outside St Peter and Paul's Church, Balbriggan, Co Dublin.

Beside him were Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Shawna Coxon, Deputy Commissioner Governance and Security, Justin Kelly, and Brigadier General Stephen Ryan, representing the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.

Four abreast, they marched down the street, to the beat of the drum, towards the funeral home, where they were commanded to stop.

There, a large group of wider family and close friends gathered in front of them and behind the family cortege.

Seven motorbike outriders — all colleagues of Garda Flatley from the Regional Traffic Corps — took up position some distance down.

Just behind them were flag bearers, one garda holding the organisation’s flag and, another, the Irish flag.

Applause

After the immediate family sat into the limousine and the hearse was driven out and positioned in front of the car, people along with street spontaneously started clapping, offering their support.

This spontaneous applause happened again farther down the street, with residents and workers lining the street, strengthened by fellow public servants — including the Dublin Fire Brigade and the Naval Service.

They were joined by school children and players from O’Dwyers — most of them holding their hurls.

Many people blessed themselves as the cortege made the slow, but short, journey to St Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church.

More gardaí were gathered on both sides of the road leading to the church entrance.

Members were also standing in the church car park, straight across from the entrance, where yet more O’Dwyers players and coaches assembled.

The cortege makes its way to church. Picture: Colin Keegan

Large screens and speakers had been erected there to cater for the considerable overflow from the church.

The family, including Garda Flatley’s parents Michael and Breda, exited the limousine. Garda members removed the coffin and, with care, brought it inside the church.

Erin and Aoife hugged each other, supported by their mum and aunties.

In a poignant moment, Aoife went back to the limousine and reached deep in to pull out a light blue transparent children’s bag, with various objects inside, and brought it in with her.

Inside, Fr John McNamara, of Balbriggan parish, welcomed President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris, and minister for justice Jim O’Callaghan.

Other ministers were present as well additional dignitaries, including Colonel Nick Moran of the Air Corps and representatives from the PSNI.

'A proud Garda member who had an infectious smile and laughter'

 Fr McNamara said Garda Flatley was a “such a proud member” of the Garda family and thanked Garda Flatley’s immediate family for the “kindness and courtesy” they had shown him in recent days, describing them as “wonderful people”.

Fr Dan Joe O’Mahony, a Capuchin, who was good friends of Garda Flatley when he was a community garda in Blanchardstown, west Dublin, conducted the offertory procession.

Family and friends brought up items very close to Garda Flatley’s heart: A fiddle, an O’Dwyer club jersey and coach top, the family Bible, his hurl, some books, and a bar of chocolate.

The funeral was too overwhelming for little Aoife and an auntie took her elsewhere to comfort her.

Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris at the funeral. Picture: Colin Keegan

Fr O’Mahony said Garda Flatley used to read the bible to his daughters at night. 

He said he had seen gardaí cry in the past week, adding: “Seeing a garda crying, that does something to you.” 

He said Garda Flatley “left no stone unturned” in his work and was always cycling back and forth to the Mulhuddart area as a community garda.

Fr O’Mahony urged people to “share the roads” and to show “prudence and courtesy” while driving.

Close friend of Garda Flatley, Garda Rosanna Caul, gave the family eulogy.

She said her friend was originally from Newcastle, west Dublin, and was “devastated” by the passing of his sister, Elaine.

He had “an infectious smile and laughter”, she said. 

He joined the gardaí in 1998 and always wanted to be in the Road Policing Unit, which he was from 2018.

Garda Caul said he really wanted to complete the motorcycle course, and become a Garda motorcyclist, which he did last August.

His focus, she said, was on “helping people” and was always positive towards everyone.

He volunteered widely, not only in O’Dwyers but also the Special Olympics and triathlon competitions.

But, she said, he was “never happier” than when supporting girls playing and enjoying a game of football, and that it wasn’t about winning for him, but participation and team work.

Young members of O'Dwyers GAA club form a guard of honour. Picture: Colin Keegan

He loved Dublin GAA and was an “amazing dancer”, which he and Úna enjoyed.

He loved music and the Irish language and was “adored by everyone” in the family and she said his loss is “heartbreaking”.

She said the family wanted to thank An Garda Síochána for all of their support. 

Finishing, there was a long round of applause.

Signalling the end of formalities, Commissioner Harris handed a folded national flag, along with Garda Flatley’s uniform dress cap and gloves to Úna.

The Garda bugler played 'The last Post' as Commissioner Harris saluted Garda Flatley’s coffin, the sound ringing up and down the main street outside.

The song ‘The Parting Glass’ played as Garda Flatley’s coffin was taken out to the hearse.

Outside, as mourners exited, little Aoife was inconsolable. 

Gardaí and members of the community at the church. Picture: Colin Keegan

Supported by an aunt she was taken to the limousine for some respite, clutching her bag close.

A single church bell peeled as the hearse was driven out followed by the cortege, flanked by Garda management and members, as they paid their final respects.

The burial was to be for family, and the cortege began their journey to his childhood home, in Newcastle.

But Garda Flatley’s closest of colleagues — the seven motorbike outriders from the Road Policing Unit — would escort him on his final journey.