Death of Samuel Donegan
InspectorSamuel Donegan(20 November 1911 – 8 June 1972) was a member of theGarda Síochánawho was killed by a booby-trap bomb left by theProvisional Irish Republican Army(Provisional IRA) in 1972.
Early life
[edit]Samuel Donegan was born on 20 November 1911, and he was a native of Ballintampen (also spelt as Ballintempan), atownlandjust south ofLongfordinCounty Longford.[1][2]
Garda career
[edit]Donegan joined the Garda Síochána, theRepublic of Ireland's police force, at the age of 23, on 4 September 1934, being issued with the Service No. 8586. He received a promotion to the rank of Sergeant in 1952. He had served attached to Garda stations inCounty MayoandCounty Sligoin the early part of his career until being promoted to the rank of Inspector in 1967 when he was transferred to theCounty Cavandistrict.[1]
Booby-trap at Drumboghangh
[edit]On 8 June 1972, Inspector Donegan was leading a Garda patrol in conjunction with anIrish Defence Forcedetachment onthe borderbetweenCounty Cavan,part of theRepublic of Ireland,andCounty Fermanagh,part ofNorthern Ireland.In the Drumboghanagh neighbourhood,[3]very nearWattlebridge,a few miles south ofNewtownbutler,they found a tea-crate apparently abandoned in the road painted with comical style lettering saying "BOMB!", which on examination turned out to be empty. Further along the Drumboghanagh Road, a country lane, the patrol found a second identical tea-crate, which suddenly detonated whilst they were examining it, killing Donegan. Donegan was in his 37th year of police service and was 60 years of age.[1][4]
Subsequent events
[edit]In January 2013,Sinn FéinPresidentGerry Adamsissued a statement in which he apologised on behalf of the IRA to the families of Gardaí and the families of all members of State forces injured or killed by theProvisional IRA,but denied knowledge of who was responsible for planting the bomb that had killed Inspector Donegan.[5][6]
See also
[edit]- List of Gardaí killed in the line of duty
- Death of Adrian Donohoe
- Michael Clerkin
- Death of Jerry McCabe
- Deaths of Henry Byrne and John Morley
- Michael J. Reynolds
- Murder of Eamon Ryan
- Murder of Patrick Kelly
References
[edit]- ^abcGarda Siochana Roll of Honour, Garda Siochana website, entry for Samuel Donegan,garda.ie; accessed 4 February 2020.
- ^Townlands.ie: Ballintempan Townland, Co. Longford.https://www.townlands.ie/longford/moydow/ballymacormick/moydow/ballintempan/
- ^Townlands.ie: Drumboghanagh Glebe Townland, Co. Fermanagh.https://www.townlands.ie/fermanagh/coole/drummully/derrysteaton/drumboghanagh-glebe/
- ^"CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths".cain.ulster.ac.uk.
- ^"Adams denies involvement in IRA murders",Independent.ie, 30 April 2013.
- ^"Gerry Adams repeatedly denies knowledge of string of IRA murders"– via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.