Police

Ainsworth, Thomas Joseph (Joe; ‘Two Gun Joe’) (1927–2015), garda, was born 17 May 1927 at his parents’ home at Davitt’s Terrace, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, the elder of two sons of Harry (Henry) Ainsworth, a victualler, and his wife Margaret (née Feeney). Ainsworth was…

Bell, Alan (1857–1920), policeman and resident magistrate, was born in Banagher, King's Co. (Offaly), one of at least two sons of the Rev. James Adamson Bell, Church of Ireland clergyman; his mother's name is unknown. Educated locally, he joined the…

Blake, Sir Henry Arthur (1840–1918), police officer, resident magistrate, and colonial governor, was born 18 January 1840 in Corbally, Co. Limerick, son of Peter Blake (1809–50) of Corbally Castle, Co. Galway, county inspector of Irish Constabulary, and Jane Blake (née Lane) of…

Branigan, James Christopher (‘Jim’, ‘Lugs’) (1910–86), garda, was born 6 January 1910 in the South Dublin Union, James St., eldest among three sons and a daughter of John Alick Branigan (d. 1957), South Dublin Union official, originally of Borrisokane, Co. Tipperary, and Ellen Branigan…

Brennan, Garrett (Gerald Brennan/O'Brennan; Gearóid Ó Braonáin/ Ó Breanáin) (1894–1974), revolutionary and garda, was born 7 October 1894 in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, second of ten children of Cornelius Barrett, shopkeeper, and Margaret Brennan (née Boran). One of his brothers was…

Brereton, Sir William (1789–1864), British army general and inspector-general of the Irish Constabulary, was son of Maj. William Brereton, of Dublin and Bath, officer in the 6th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and later master of ceremonies at the Assembly Rooms in Bath, and his second…

Browne, George Baxter (1787–1879), soldier and police officer, was born 19 December 1787, second son among three sons and two daughters of George Browne, merchant at Liverpool, and Felicity Browne (née Wagner) of North Hall, near Wigan, Lancashire, daughter of the Austrian and…

Brownrigg, Thomas Marcus (1823–1901), police officer, and pioneer and experimental photographer, was born 8 June 1823 in Limerick, eldest son of Sir Henry John Brownrigg (1798–1873), inspector-general of constabulary (1858–65), and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. Thomas…

Broy, Eamon (‘Ned’) (1887–1972), double agent and Garda commissioner, was born 22 December 1887 in Ballinure, Co. Kildare, the son of Patrick Broy, farmer, and his wife, Mary (née Barry). Educated locally, he joined the RIC on 2 August…

Carroll, Patrick Joseph (1903–75), Garda commissioner, was born 15 September 1903 in Ballyrider, Stradbally, Co. Laois, third among six children of Michael Carroll (d. c.1920) and Julia Carroll (née Buggy) (d. c.1939), farmers. Educated at the…

Chadwick, John Cooper- (1864–1948), colonial policeman and Rhodesian pioneer, was born 13 May 1864 in Baggotstown, Bruff, Co. Limerick, second son of Richard Austin Cooper-Chadwick (1831–92) of Ballinard House, Emly, Co. Tipperary, and his second wife, Charlotte Sophia (d. 1912),…

Chamberlain, Sir Neville Francis Fitzgerald (1856–1944), soldier, inspector general of the RIC, and originator of snooker, was born 13 January 1856 at Upton Park, Upton, Buckinghamshire, England, only son of Lt-col. Charles Francis Falcon Chamberlain of the Indian army and Marion Ormsby…

Code, Henry Brereton (c.1770–1838), journalist, dramatist, and government agent (whose real name appears to have been Cody), was educated in a seminary. He began his career as a retailer of hose at Skinner Row, Dublin (1793). After the failure of this business and other…

Coogan, Edward (Eamonn, ‘Ned’) (1896–1948), deputy Garda commissioner, barrister, and politician, was born 30 November 1896 in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, the only son of Timothy Coogan, shopkeeper of Castlecomer, and Bridget Coogan (née Joyce). Educated at Castlecomer national…

Costigan, Daniel (1911–79), civil servant and Garda commissioner, was born 18 February 1911 in Derryfada, Kealkil, Bantry, Co. Cork (where the Costigan family had lived for many generations), elder surviving son and third among six children of James Costigan (d. 1956) and Anne…

Crane, Charles Paston (1857–1939), RIC officer, resident magistrate, and soldier, was born at Holden Clough, Holden, Yorks. (now Lancs.), son of William Crane (d. 1903), anglican curate, and was educated at home and Exeter College, Oxford (BA…

Crozier, Frank Percy (1879–1937), soldier and RIC officer, was born 9 January 1879, probably in India, only son of Maj. Burrard R. Crozier, Royal Scots Fusiliers, and his wife Rebecca Frances, daughter of J. W. Percy, RM.…

Darley, Frederick (1764–1841), builder, alderman, and police magistrate, born in Dublin and baptised on 6 July 1764, was one of the many children of Henry Darley (1721?–1798), a wealthy public works contractor, and his first wife, Mary (née Steele; d. 1770). Henry's grandfather,…

Dunseith, David Lumsden (1934–2011), policeman and broadcaster, was born on 2 October 1934 in Derry city, the eldest child of Robert Dunseith, a flour miller, and his wife Mary Dunseith (née Lumsden), formerly a factory worker. David grew up in the protestant Waterside area of Derry…

Flanagan, James Bernard (‘Jamie’) (1914–99), policeman, was born 15 January 1914 at 68 Bridge St., Derry city, son of James Flanagan, RIC sergeant, and Susan Flanagan (née McFeely). Educated locally, he joined the…

Foley, Gerald Robert Edward (1886–1982), soldier and policeman, was born 10 May 1886 at the rectory, Askeaton, Co. Limerick, son of William Foley, the incumbent, and Josephine Foley (née Clarke). After completing his Bachelor of Arts (BA) at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), he joined the…

Garvey, Edmund (1915–89), Garda commissioner, was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, one of two sons of Irish emigrant parents who had spent time in America before settling in England. In 1917 they returned to their native Ballinlough in Co. Roscommon, where they ran a small…

Gorman, (Sir) John Reginald (1923–2014), soldier, policeman, businessman, civil servant and politician, was born on 1 February 1923 at Mullaghmore House, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, the eldest of four children of Major John Kearney (Jack) Gorman (1891–1980), an RUC officer, and his…

Harrel, Sir David Alfred (1841–1939), policeman and public servant, was born 25 March 1841 at Ardglass, near Downpatrick, Co. Down, youngest son of David Harrel of Mountpleasant, Co. Down, agent for the local Ker estate, and his wife Jane, daughter of James Wharton of Belfast.…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Harrel, Sir David Alfred. View the original entry.