LAST UPDATE | 26 May 2023

THE GARDA COMMISSIONER will today host a ceremony to award 11 deceased, retired and serving members of Gardaí with Scott Medals for bravery.

The Scott Medal is the highest award that can be bestowed by the Commissioner and is awarded for “most exceptional bravery and heroism involving the risk of life in the execution of duty”.

The late Inspector Sam Donegan is to be awarded a medal posthumously after he was killed in a 1972 explosion on the Cavan/Fermanagh border.

At the time, gardaí were operating with the Irish Defence Forces along the border and information was received that a suspect device had been identified near Legakelly.

Inspector Donegan approached the suspect device and was able to determine that it was a hoax.

A short distance away, a second similar device was also located. As he approached this device to carry out an assessment, the device exploded. Inspector Donegan died a short time later from injuries sustained.

Inspector Sam Donegan is to be awarded a medal posthumously after he was killed in a 1972 explosion on the Cavan/Fermanagh border.

Sergeant Daniel Kelleher will receive a bronze medal posthumously for his efforts to protect businessman Don Tidey who had been abducted by IRA members posing as gardaí in 1983.

Tidey was in his twenty-third day of captivity when gardaí and the Irish Army found him in a hideout in Drumcroman Wood, Derradda Ballinamore, Co Leitrim.

Despite active shooting by IRA members and in full knowledge of the potential danger, Detective Garda Kelleher provided armed cover to other gardaí who were escorting Tidey to safety.

A car then approached at high speed and a number of shots were discharged by the occupants of the car.

This resulted in Detective Garda Kelleher being shot and injured in both legs.Seven silver medals and two other bronze medals will be awarded today.

In 1924 Colonel Walter Scott donated to An Garda Síochána a $1,000 gold bond, in perpetuity, to endow a bravery medal, the Walter Scott Medal, and included the dies from which all Scott medals would be struck.

The ceremony will take place at the An Garda Síochána National Bureau Headquarters, Walter Scott House, Dublin 8, which is named after the colonel.