Gardaí stage Kinsale boat landing to commemorate centenary of Cork West Garda division 

Garda Tom Daly is helped ashore wearing a uniform of the Garda Síochána in 1922 marking the first step ashore of the Kinsale gardaí in 1922 as part of the Kinsale Garda Síochána 100th celebrations. Picture: Howard Crowdy

A boat landing to the tune of bagpipes at Kinsale Pier was how gardaí today commemorated the centenary of the Cork West Garda Division.

Gardaí replicated how the first members of the division arrived into Kinsale in 1922, by coming down the Bandon River by boat, and landing on Kinsale’s main pier. They were met on arrival by a bagpiper, playing a lament of remembrance.

Later in the afternoon, Saint John De Baptiste Church hosted an ecumenical service to mark the occasion.

Serving and retiring members of the force, as well as emergency services personnel, carried a march from the church to the current Garda Station in Kinsale, led by the Garda Ceremonial Unit and Garda Band.

There, Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn laid a wreath in memory of the first six members deployed to Kinsale, and all who have served in the division since and passed away.

After the performance of a lament and the national anthem from the Garda band, the march continued to Temperance Hall, where Chief Superintendent Con Cadogan, head of Cork West and Cork North divisions, made his address.

“I am very proud to be standing here today as chief superintendent to honour and remember all those who have served in the division for the last 100 years, particularly the first members who were deployed to Cork West in November 1922 including Kinsale,” he said.

“This was a hugely challenging time for our fledgling nation as the country was in the midst of a civil war. There is no doubt that these first members being deployed to different parts of the country were facing the unknown as to how they would be received. Those first members braved a dangerous journey coming in by boat in winter a scene that we replicated here earlier today,” he said.

He thanked the people of West Cork for their continued support, reading out a report from Superintendent Eamon O’Duffy 100 years ago, which stated that the six gardaí first sent to the coastal Cork town “received a splendid reception from people of Kinsale”.

“The first garda commissioner, Michael Staines, proclaimed "that the Garda Síochána will succeed not by force of arms or numbers but by their moral authority as servants of the people’. I believe the relationship between the people of Kinsale, West Cork and An Garda Síochána is a testament to the longevity and accuracy of his words,” said Chief Superintendent Cadogan.

At Temperance Hall, Cork County mayor Gillian Coughlan unveiled a centenary commemorative plaque to mark the occasion. It was commissioned by Cork County Council on behalf of the people of Kinsale, in recognition of the appreciation that they have for the service provided over the last 100 years.